night sweat

night sweat, written and performed by Michelle McCowage was of interest to me as I have always had difficulties in the sleep realm. The show was nominated for Best Theatre and Best Emerging Artist last year at Melbourne Fringe and it was remounted for a three-night season at the Motley Bauhaus. The blurb describes the show as a seamless interplay of physical theatre, improvisation and poetic storytelling, transporting audiences into the murky farrago between awake and asleep. Accompanied live with original music and compositions by Kyle Muir, this all-sensory adventure searches for commune and camaraderie with the parts of ourselves we keep hidden in the dark.

I would equate the ambience of this show to the rituals we undertake to relax as we prepare for sleep. There was the beautiful scent of essential oils including lavender, known for its sleepy properties, and spoken word and ambient music by Kyle, sounds you would expect when listening to a meditation, so already we are feeling very relaxed and calm. 

Michelle explores the themes of the sleep underworld, embodying various personas and imagery, fluctuating between comedy and seriousness to depict the confusion and emotional intensity one experiences when they suffer from disturbed sleep, supported by Kyle with musical dreamscapes. Michelle interacts with the audience, talking directly to us at certain points to explain their journey in understanding their sleep. Michelle describes interacting with ghosts and settings, some of them people they know in their waking life, others that they do not. 

There were comedic references that I didn’t understand, but there were other aspects of the show that I did, like how for certain individuals, our sleep becomes the place we can confront people we cannot in our waking life to process and attain the emotional closure we so desperately need. I found the show quite abstract and fragmented, but I didn’t mind this too much, as sleep itself can be quite a confusing place, especially for those who suffer from disturbed sleep. 

I think people who suffer from disturbed sleep would find this show beneficial and possibly even slightly healing. I personally felt appreciative that Michelle has attempted to unpack this paranormal space. I also really enjoyed Michelle’s dance and movement. It would be great to see this show developed further for independent theatre, with a full lighting design that illustrates what one might see during one’s disturbed sleep.   

Koraly Dimitriadis

Photographer: Tom Noble