Presented by Theatergroep WAK
Reviewed Sunday 19th February 2012
Adelaide Fringe – Theatergroep WAK – LevelLess
Theatergroep WAK website
Venue: The Box, Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rundle Park/Kadlitpinna, cnr East Tce & Rundle Rd, Adelaide
Season: 7.30pm on 23 24 25 February and 1-3, 8-10, 15-17 March; 8pm on 22, 28-29 February and 7, 11, 13-14, 18 March; 9pm on 23-25 February and 1-3, 8-10, 15-17 March; 9.30pm on 22, 28-29 February and 7, 11, 13-14, 18 March; 10.30pm on 23-25 February and 1-3, 8-10, 15-17 March
Duration: 40 mins
Tickets: All tickets $18
Bookings: Fringetix 1300-FRINGE (1300-374643), their outlets ($2.75 booking fee applies when booking through FingeTix), or online at Fringe bookings
A feature in this year's Garden of Unearthly Delights is an unusually tapered structure towering on the lawn, demanding comment from passers by. It could only be the signature of Theatregroep WAK from the Netherlands, whose first venture at the 2011 Adelaide Fringe caught attention with their purpose built wooden box that housed their production of Nothing is Really Difficult.
Physical theatre often uses elements of comedy and slapstick to tell its story, relying very little on dialogue. Theatregroep WAK have mastered the art of such visual theatre and abstract storytelling, beginning with their unique installations to house each production.
Whether the action takes place underground or in space, this "slow tech science-friction show" unfolds on the steeply inclined floor where they slide, climb, roll items and unravel a large sheet of plastic like The Blob as it nears the audience. The tapered stage, walls and roof, mess with perspective, turning them into giants one moment and ordinary people dwarfed in a cavern the next, perhaps representing the feelings of success and burden that comes with discovery. As science expands our knowledge of the world around us, so too do these emotions expand.
Lighting, soundscapes and an unexpected hillbilly hootenanny all add to the quirky mystery that is LevelLess. You may not understand it, but humour is universal and the witty antics of Bart Strijbos, Roel Voorbij and Dorus van der Meer under the direction of Martin Hofstra should none the less amuse and delight. Go with the flow and enjoy the essence of a Fringe.
Please note the venue is not wheelchair accessible.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis, Performing Arts Critic, Glam Adelaide.
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