One Night Echo

‘One Night Echo’ was devised by Alissa Claessens, Fran Middleton before WA playwright and actor, Gita Bezard, scripted this, their ninth work. This contemporary theatre production was created in association with Tim Watts and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), for the award-winning theatre company ‘The Duck House’. This production is part of Duck House and PICA’s fifth birthday celebrations.

‘The Duck House’ is an intelligent band of theatricals who try to delve into human encounters, familiarity and frailties, and present them through performance.

The surreal play is being presented in the Performance Space, PICA, Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Northbridge nightly at 8.00 o’clock until Saturday 17^th November. 

         In a backyard of a wealthy home, the large tiered patio area has candles and dinking glasses laid out around the edge. It is a beautiful evening and the lights are twinkling on the branches of the large tree at the side (design Lea Klein).

         A young waitress, Echo (Fran Middleton) has been hired for the night, and with tray in hand is strolling around waiting for the guests to arrive. Like a bolt of lightning the birthday boy arrives, he is Theo (Will O'Mahony) everything that a woman could desire in a man – well at least this narcissist thinks so. Dressed in bright, glittering clothes, he takes numerous photos of himself, he snaps his fingers, demands a sexy cocktail, then proceeds to tell the poor waitress his exciting life story.

         Inching his way into the party comes Theo’s best friend, Eddie (Brendan Ewing), a very shy nerd with no social skills. Eddie tries inanely to start a conversation with Echo, but fails. Then a bright glowing vision (Alissa Claessens), regally dressed in organza sweeps onto the patio. Eddie MUST meet this dream, but how? To make things worse for him, a tall, thin dark figure (Tyrone Robinson) slinks into the crowd. He moves like a contortionist, a spider at a yoga class. Everyone stops in admiration of his dancing style, as he slithers and leaps his way around the floor.

         With such competition, will Eddie ever find a partner? Will the waitress’s affliction ruin her night?

Like the opening shot from Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, the rear black wall becomes a see through gauze, and the band dressed in black can be seen behind. They are lit by spots at a high angle. The effect is stunning, and then the muted trumpet softly builds up as the two guitars and the percussion sympathetically join in (musicians are Kate Pass, Ethan Darnelli and Jeremy Thompson).

The soft almost bluesy numbers, with a brilliant subtle addition of resonance, contrasted to the livelier funk style; these musical compositions by Elliott Hughes were alone, worth the ticket price. The inspired and impressive sound design was by Dean Hall. The trance effect was confirmed by Jenny Vila’s almost ethereal lighting treatment. Tyrone’s energetic, contemporary dance routine was a jaw-dropping spectacle, as this WAAPA graduate contorted his way around the stage. Even all of the actors’ simple movements were ‘choreographed’ by Brooke Leeder to give a dreamlike quality.

Director Kathryn Osborne filled the action with subtle humour as Eddie struggled to score. The poetic script was dramaturged by Humphrey Bower.

It is unusual to have a team with so many theatrical awards to their names, so my expectations were high, I was not disappointed. This show was delightful, unusual and of the highest quality music and dance. A fresh change.