Have you ever wondered about the conversations happening in another room? How about that animated conversation you spy through a window, and you can just tell something is amiss but without hearing it you don’t know what. If you’re just as nosy as me, Logue Lake will fulfil your wishes to jump into any conversation you please. But be warned, you might still not get the story you desire.
Before entering the Studio Underground we’re handed a retro radio and headphones. The radio has five channels which we gleefully test, listening to the different music each channel plays. A voice then enters our head and speaks to us across all the channels as we walk down into the performance space.
A house sits in the centre of the Studio Underground, which has been gutted of its seating bank and cleared to create an open space. We can walk freely around this house which has its walls completely down and window frames suspended from the ceiling (it reminds me of the no-wall mode in Sims). Some seating is available along the sides of the theatre space and above on the balcony, giving a bird’s eye view, but for the most dynamic viewing experience you’ll want to walk around and change sides regularly.
Having the freedom to stand wherever you want is slightly daunting at first but as the play begins, it’s almost like the rest of the audience slips away and you’re in tune with what you’re seeing and hearing.
Logue Lake. Photography by Miles Noel Studio.
Writer Geordie Crawley has given this show the hallmarks of a classic horror. The setting of a house on a lake is naturally eerie and its evident something is off kilter from the beginning, starting with a classic game of truth or dare. We’re introduced to a set of four characters; we have Michael whose deceased dad owned this lake house, he’s joined by his sister Reagan, his girlfriend Carrie and high school best friend Alex. This game of truth and dare guides us into the format of the show, starting with a group scene before the characters break off into other areas and we get a turn at switching channels.
You might think there’s one best scene to watch or one channel that is the best to listen to. However, you soon learn that each character is imparting crucial and interesting information simultaneously. Directing one scene is hard enough, but Elise Wilson had up to five scenes to direct at any given time: making each uniquely captivating in its own way.
Logue Lake. Photography by Miles Noel Studio.
In a blink of an eye or while your attention is elsewhere someone new has entered the space, a strange intruder played by Will O’Mahony. The other characters are just as unsettled as we are at the sight of this barefoot hiker, Hugh, who seeks shelter for the night. Will is perfectly sinister and intense in his portrayal of this monotone and mysterious character. There’s an evident tension but also a connection between Hugh and Michael, played by Isaac Diamond, making us wonder if they somehow know each other. Soon similarities between them come to the forefront, adding to the peculiar situation.
Although perplexed by the new arrival, the other characters remain steadfast in their own objectives. Headstrong Carrie, Lila McGuire, is wound up over Michael’s lack of desire or motivation to move to the next stage of their relationship and decides to speed things up by proposing to him. Reagan, Alicia Osyka, is conflicted about what to do about the lake house following her father’s death and is trying to uncover a mystery he left behind. Meanwhile, endearing Alex played by Timothy Green is not so subtly hiding his feelings for Michael and is confused by his mixed messages.
Logue Lake. Photography by Miles Noel Studio.
As more strange events transpire over the course of the night, the tension rises in the group, and it becomes increasingly harder to decide where to focus attention. The radio becomes like a game controller allowing you to jump between scenes and characters. The switching could feel chaotic or choppy but instead it feels cinematic and satisfies the need to dip in and out of conversations. It’s exciting and actively engaging.
Each scene is lifted by supporting sound which is evenly mixed in behind the vocals of the actors, not only building the world for us but adding layers of suspense. Against the horror, there are moments of serenity where you can look through a window frame and even switch to a channel with natural environment sounds to place yourself back on the outside.
The nature of this production is incredibly ambitious in both its storytelling and technological demands. However, each element from the design, writing, directing, and acting is expertly pulled off to create an immersive and intimate show. What’s wonderful about this production is each audience member’s experience will be entirely unique and no one will hear or see the same story unfold. You might be miffed that you don’t get every single bit of the story, but I see that as having the same experience as the characters who also don’t know what’s going on behind all the closed doors. Besides, if you really want to know more or focus on a different perspective you can see it again…
Logue Lake is presented by Perth Festival and runs until Sunday March 3.