Beside

Beside is the first Perth Festival commission for WA Youth Theatre in the company’s 40-year history. A site-specific production, it asks audiences to consider what it means to be beside a “river of change”, which runs beside one of WA’s oldest farm-houses, on land that has “an unbroken 65,000 year cultural history”. One of the first Perth Festival productions to sell out, this is a dynamic and fascinating work that intrigues and leaves you thinking.

Beside is a journey of a production that is really many linked productions, and the multiple locations and concurrent performances mean that it would be almost impossible for two audience members to have the same experience. 

The sixty audience members begin the experience in the same way. Welcomed by Della Rae Morrison in slowly delivered Nyungar (greatly appreciated by those of us trying to improve our understanding of Nyungar) and English, we are treated to a choral performance, also in language, with some embracing choralography. 

The audience are then divided into three groups who experience Beside in different orders. I was in Yellow group – your experience will differ.

Treated to a beautifully told puppet story in which the Djiti-djiti (Willy Wagtail) is an unlikely hero, audiences then move onto more intimate theatrical experiences. In groups of two, audience members are treated to monologue performances, with each pair getting to hear three of the 10 performers. I had the pleasure of hearing Rai Costin’s experience of realising their true self in a suburban op shop, having Adam Kelly (whose ARCO was a success at last year’s Fringe World) relate a tale of dragons and epic adventure, and watching Molly Earnshaw’s discovery of self and being accepted at a school talent show. All beautiful performances, heartfelt and a privilege to share.

Circling the landmark Peninsula Farm (familiar to some as Tranby House), we found ourselves at the river-bank, with a beautiful ensemble performance that looks at the river, the environment, conservation and change. Outstanding teamwork with beautiful messages, from young performers with a clear understanding and passion for what they are saying.

The next group of performances take place within the heritage listed farm-house. Four different experiences within the four rooms, with audiences invited to dip-in and out at their own pace, including opportunities to ask and answer questions, to work on a group task, experience passionately performed aboriginal dance, and extremely intimate theatre – this is very interactive, well-created art.

The audience re-unites for the final ‘act’, a reflection of what we have seen and an opportunity to examine our feelings as the cast reappear as one. 

Beside asks whether being beside something makes you a “bystander, observer or perhaps a willing or unwilling participant”. By drawing the audience into their performance, we are forced to examine our relationship with this well-known Perth location and the river itself. A thoughtful, beautifully created and performed production.

Kimberley Shaw