The Disappearances Project – Version 1.0

The Disappearances Project by Version 1.0 stirred audiences on Tuesday night with their amazing example of Helpmann Award winning theatre at the Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane.

The two-hander, conceived and created by Irving Gregory, Paul Prestipino, Yana Taylor and David Williams gave a voice to the thousands of people who go missing every year.  It allowed audiences to hear the stories of one of the most silent members of such tragedies- the families and friends of those who have just, disappeared.

The performers played the project with phenomenal stillness so as to take away the hype, which is so largely built up on television.  This gave the content and text room to do the work itself. The well-researched dialogue and text content was laid bare to the audience in a way that made it a much more human story and not a media jaunt.

Across the backdrop screen ran a film, directed by Taylor, of the streets and buildings of an unknown country town. This echoed an eerie reminder of the turmoil and torments most family’s face, which urges them to go cruising the streets at all hours, hoping for a glimpse of their missing loved one.

The composition by Paul Prestipino was outstanding and layered surround sound effects to the quiet desperation and feeling of suspense that these disappearing people leave with their families.

It was as if the audience felt the sense of being ‘stuck in time’.

The Disappearances Project is such an intelligent and powerful piece that certainly will be worthy of more critical acclaim for the Version 1.0 collaborative.

I certainly left feeling moved, blessed, and most importantly, educated on such a tragic and very real daily occurrence.

If you are interested in participating in the end of season Theatre Making Workshop held at the Judith Wright Centre with Version 1.0, where participants will learn about some of the challenges and rewards in devising performance around such real world material sources.

For more information on the workshop, visit the website: 

judithwrightcentre.com

Version 1.0 is in conjunction with Theatre Raising Awareness of Missing People.
TRAMP