[Published on beat.com.au, July 20 2011]
The magic of Small Odysseys, the latest show by Melbourne performance collective Rawcus, belongs to another era. In an age where your imagination is limited only by your dexterity with a keyboard, the show’s handcrafted illusions take on a heightened sense of wonder. There is a physicality to Small Odysseys’ miniature worlds, which appear to float across the concrete expanses of the Meat Market, whimsically defying the logic of the digital present.
Taking inspiration from Homer’s epic, Small Odysseys loosely follows the story of the hero’s journey. But in the ensemble’s characteristic style, their voyage does not follow a traditional narrative structure per se. Rather, it combines elements of dance, theatre, music and visual art in a series of intersecting vignettes. The Meat Market is transformed into an oceanic space across which tiny islands, suburban lounge rooms, sea-ravaged ships and seafaring wanderers alike are set adrift.
Experimenting with ideas of scale, both literally and figuratively, the show highlights the ever-shifting nature of our sense of self – those moments that cause you to swell with pride or, in contrast, leave you feeling miniscule and powerless. This is reflected in the set design, which plays with the audience’s perception and forces us to constantly view both people and objects anew as they journey often vast distances across the stage.
Despite many moments of humour, Small Odysseys is not all playful. The performance fluctuates (sometimes violently) between stillness and frenetic movement, between silence and cacophonous sound. At one point, the spotlight is turned upon the audience as the entire ensemble line up to look at us. The roles between spectator and performer are reversed as we too become vulnerable and on display.
In our image-obsessed society, there is also a poignant physicality in seeing the kinds of real bodies that Rawcus bring to the stage, featuring actors with and without disabilities. And while it may be tempting to impose political interpretations onto their work – for example, reading the show’s title as a metaphor for the epic journeys that those living with disabilities must face every day – Small Odysseys themes are undeniably universal. Indeed, the central notion of being “lost at sea” is a metaphor for nothing less than the bewildering experience of being human.
Small Odysseys will play at the Arts House, Meat Market from July 14 – July 23. Tickets are $30 full price or $15 concession. For bookings, visit artshouse.com.au.
