Telephone

The Last Great Hunt’s World Premiere production Telephone is an exploration of communication, featuring hundreds of telephone calls from which emerge a few interlocked stories. A cleverly structured ensemble production, Telephone has the excellent use of props and innovative use of technology that we have come to expect from The Last Great Hunt.

Performers Grace Chow, Arielle Gray, Tim Watts, Jeffrey Jay Fowler and Courtney Henry use beige 1980s telephones and clever “phoneography” to take us on an unexpected journey as we intercept conversations and get glimpses into dozens of lives, in a lovely blend of reality and the imaginative. A tax auditor uses the phone to threaten and abuse, a group of teens use phone waves and harmony to intercept the spiritual realm, people wait on hold and others use the phone as a lifeline - in many forms.

The production blends analogue technology with 90s inspired music and lo-fi light refraction to create a production that creates a visual interpretation of sound waves and is both visually and auditorily impressive. Excellent teamwork from the directorial and creative team with lighting designer Chris Isaacs and associate designer Bryan Woltjen, and sound designer Connor Brown and Composer Rachel Claudio.

A high impact production with clever, effective storytelling. A treat of show with a great sense of nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the days of non-mobile phones.

Kimberley Shaw