Adelaide Festival

Adelaide Festival Review: High Performance Packing Tape

High Performance Packing Tape is back in Adelaide and bringing the stationary cupboard with it for a performance that highlights how physical theatre comes together.

Stationary inspired physical theatre
3


Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre and Branch Nebula
Reviewed 4th March 2021

High Performance Packing Tape is back in Adelaide and bringing the stationary cupboard with it for a performance that highlights how physical theatre comes together.

The show is performed by Skye Gellman and produced by Harley Stumm. The work is produced in collaboration with Lee Wilson, Skye Gellmann, Timothy Ohl, Mirabelle Wouters, Mickie Quick and Phil Downing. It pitches itself as an OH&S nightmare utilising equipment found at the every day stationary store. It’s physical theatre taking every day office equipment and reworking it into performance materials. Storage boxes become towers, gym ball seats become productive gear, and as mentioned with the title, packaging tape becomes an all-round connector that swings the show into some circus style moments.

There are moments that make the show feel like an entry point into physical theatre and great for people who want to see a bit on how that style of performance works construction and safety wise. There is dedication to demonstrating the set up for the stunts in a behind the scenes kind of manner. There are parts that could be edited down a bit. Some sections are simply five minutes or so watching someone stack boxes or run tape between poles without nods or connections to the audience. There is clear intent and a skill for safety in those moments but there isn’t audience engagement or narrative set up beyond that.

High Performance Packing Tape is a good show for younger viewers to see how everyday items can be used for circus and theatre style productions. The bulk of the equipment used are recognisable items that can be found around the home or office. There are some nice moments with the lighting and sound that shift the stunt style production toward an artistic performance but this is limited to a couple moments within the overall hour show.

High Performance Packing Tape runs at AC Arts as part of the Adelaide Festival at a range of times and dates for everyone, from later afternoons to evenings, and a couple times on certain dates.

Reviewed by Alex Dunkin
Twitter: @AlexDunkin

Rating out of 5: 3

Venue:  Main Theatre, AC Arts, 30 Light Square, Adelaide
Season:  4th-14th March 2021
Duration:  1 hour
Tickets:  $25.00 – $59.00
Bookings:  https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/events/high-performance-packing-tape-2021/

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