Whistleblower

Whistleblower is a unique piece of theatre, where the leading actor has no idea of the script and what is going to happen. The Last Great Hunt has created a ground-breaking work that blends an epic Escape Room, with a theatrical version of a Choose Your Own Adventure book, and The Truman Show.

Audience members have the opportunity of purchasing an interactive or observer ticket to the show. Those who choose interactive tickets are interviewed prior to the show. While all appear on stage at some point in the evening, as citizens of the town of Sunset, one is selected to be the central character Charlie Baxter, with a second playing his or her spouse, Lex Harrington.

The premise is that Charlie wakes handcuffed to hospital bed with severe amnesia. He or she must discover what has happened and unravel a complex mystery. They travel through a series of sound proofed rooms, their every move broadcast to the audience, interacting with a variety of actors and audience members to work out who the whistleblower is, and which secret they are revealing.

Audience member Craig Dempsey embodied the leading role on the night I attended, with real-life spouse Helen Dempsey playing his wife with flair. They were very well supported by a large cast, all performing multiple duties as crew. The nature of the show, led by our audience member, means that the vast majority of the show is improvised, and that some “scenes” (and characters) may not even appear. Kudos to stage manager Breanna Evanngelista for controlling a very complex show “on the Run”.

The show is underscored by clever composition by Rachel Claudio and is cleverly designed by Tyler Hill.

The cast of Whistleblower urge the audience not to reveal the secrets of this show, and with a few Perth Festival shows remaining, I am reluctant to reveal much more about the production. I hope that this has subsequent seasons, as it is a show that would be a pleasure to watch again. Intriguing, clever and innovative theatre.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Daniel James Grant