Theatre of Bondage

Theatre of Bondage is a journey into the art of shibari. ‘Shibari is a contemporary form of rope bondage that originated in Japan. Sometimes, it’s called kinbaku, but it’s most simply referred to as Japanese bondage.’ (Midori - author of Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage).

Definitely for the 18+ year olds, Theatre of Bondage is performed in the suburban confines of The Shed Rehearsal Theatre, an intimate venue where you definitely get up close and personal with the performers.

The performance showcases a collective of WA's most talented bondage artists exploring the ritualistic, dominant/submissive, erotic, and artistic aspects of this ancient art.

Each ‘act’ consists of a rigger (the person doing the tying) and the model (the person being tied). The four ‘acts’ delve into different aspects of shibari; aerial suspension, aerial acrobatics, dominance/submission, and even comedy.

Hosted by James Sta-Maria aka Starma Llama, the cast features Mandie Sta-Maria, Dany Cox, Daniel Campagnoli, Tristen Tan, Jenna Elliott and Luna Agneya.

It would be easy to dismiss this art form as soft pornography, but shibari relies on trust and consent. Watching the performers this is very evident. While not immediately obvious, there are subtle signals between the rigger and the model ensuring that the model will not be out of his/her comfort zone or in pain.

Being a novice to shibari, I would have liked to see more of the tying procedure. The model was usually facing the front and the majority of knots were tied at the back.

Theatre of Bondage may not be for everyone, but it is an experience worthy seeing if you are interested in sensuality and relationships.

Barry Hill

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