"The Echo of the Shadow" reminded me of 1967 when I was in Grade Two and there was a horror maze by the Grade Six students who were raising money for the missions. It also reminded me of when I auditioned for the Melbourne State College drama teaching course in 1977 as they also set up a maze.
I was led to a door and told by a lady as we were looking beyond and down an escalator "The path is ahead. I don't know where it leads. There is a librarian at the bottom of the stairs who may be able to guide you."
So begins the journey.
Walking down the stairs I looked at the desk and the pile of books with a chair. There was a door and the sign said "The librarian will be back in 5 minutes".
Was I going to wait? I waited for a bit. I looked at the books scattered on the desk. I saw a person or a model or a dummy sitting on the other side of a window reading. It looked like a woman and was still.
I went through the door as I was not going to hold up the next person in the queue.
As I went through the door I saw it was a lady sitting at the desk inside this library full of bookshelves and with a warm feeling of knowledge and wisdom. I was in my element entering this realm. This was not a dummy or a model but a real lady reading a book. She was still. I think she was a part of the show as she was so motionless. That was another reason why I entered the library. I thought it could be a trap.
I peered over her shoulder and then I nearly jumped out of my skin as a man walked up behind me. he led the lady away. I was told to wait.
I was then led by Enrique who introduced himself and told "to select a book that would be my life story." AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Where to start? I thought. There are so many aspects to my personality and my interests and desires and dreams.
I chose a book called "The Unknown" and held it tightly as I searched for something that could add more meaning to my choice. I kept looking and found a curtain. I snuck behind the curtain and I realised I was not meant to go there - YET! I came out and kept looking for my book!
I found a book and tried to remember the title. It was a self discovery book.
Enrique stood next to me and took away my book and replaced it with a little red book. I wanted the book back. I wanted to savour its name and title! AAAAAAAAAAAhhh!
I had to know the name of the book and asserted myself and picked up the book I had chosen. I had to know its title. I think it was called "Learning from the dead" and sadly I cannot remember the author. This book was alive and had so much jumping out at me. It was alive and speaking to me from all those I have lost. I do not know if it is this
link or another book.
Enrique now directed me to the curtain, the one I had sneaked through earlier. I was sad to leave him. This library was so rich and enticing and full of life.
There was a lit grotto behind the curtain and many objects were in a case. There was an array of objects of different shapes, sizes, textures, weights and scents. I felt objects. I smelt them. I was not going to taste them, but tried to holistically enjoy the
sensory range of experiences. I know there are more than the traditional five senses and relished the inner sanctum of sensory delights or challenges.
I remember the sandalwood and the soap and the flickering candles and feeling the netting against my face. I touched and savoured the senses. I picked up the little tickets. Where were they used? Who by? When? What sort of journey did the lead? Are they the tickets to my journey? Are they permission to continue? So many senses were being spoiled ....and.... so many ands....! I did not want to leave this room. But I sensed I was to be taken away again.
I felt a presence - a man. Barefoot. He stood and raised an open palm welcoming me or calling me to follow him.
I was led along a path to a room with sand on the floor. I espied a suitcase to my left and a circle with an old fashioned type plough. There was a central axis and a large wooden handle to push on. On the other end of the plough was a pile of sand. A mound of fresh sand sat like a pyramid. There were swirls in the sand.
He opened the suitcase and inside sat a pair of
Dobbie Gillis style sneakers. He looked down at my shoes and indicated for me to take off my shoes and socks. I was disappointed as I had a small cut on my foot and I did not want it to get infected. I declined the offer and he was reassuring and comforting and said something like "You do not have to explain."
He said "Make sure you feel with your hands".
I bent down and touched the sand. I made shoe prints, and, hand prints - as if I was at the
Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. I knew these prints would not last. I crouched on all four's as the wheel was turned. The sand on the opposite 180 degree was being smoothed as the wooden arm was pushed. An image of the footprints is so short. Life is so short. Our footprint has an impact and then we are gone. Life is short and precious.
I did not want to leave this room either! The experience is so rich and rewarding.
I guessed my shoes would have been put into the case and delivered at the end of the experience. I tried to imagine the feeling if I had given up my shoes. I tried to imagine what I would have felt had I given up my shoes. Yes, I guessed correctly the shoes would be at the end!
Savouring the experience:
"Cutting out the shadows" room was where I got to choose the outline of a cutout piece of paper, or the framed template of the cutout. It was choosing between the positive or negative of a cutout. I was asked "Do you like your shadow?" I said "I love my shadow". I chose the framed template cutout when asked to select one of the shapes. The actual cutout was then thrown behind a curtain. My chosen framed template cutout was put into a case. I cannot remember what happened to it next.
I went into a room where a man sat. There were wheels along the far side. He sat at a table that seemed to be a blackboard. There were chalk pieces. He drew a noughts and crosses board on the table and invited me to play. He drew an X. (Interestingly people say "O" or "zero" and rarely use the word nought. Yet many people will call it "Noughts and Crosses" rather than "O and Crosses" nor "Zero and Crosses"! Though in the USA they call it Tic, Tac, Toe.)
I considered my move. I was playful and wanted to see his reaction when I drew a "?" instead of a nought. He was genuinely surprised and loved it. We played the game. He was so playful and he won. He cleaned the blackboard table. I picked up the chalk and wrote "Thank you". It was so heart warming. My note or the cleaning sheet was put into a flying fox and whizzed across the far wall. Now I understood what the wheels were being used for.
I am writing these notes from my short hand notes in January 2017. That is over two months since I attended this show. I am still savouring the show, though some of the details do blur.
Was it a sheet that was whizzed by the flying fox?
A female photographer took my photo in what seemed like a corridor, and my shadow appeared on the sheet. I chased my shadow. A sudden blackout darkened the space! The lighting changed and my shadow disappeared again. I sought my shadow as I was searching deep within my soul and my psyche. The lady took the sheet and hung it up as if on a clothesline.
Yes it was a sheet as it was hung up in a maze. No pegs were used.
It reminded me of the dancing clothes line sequence from either the "Ziegfeld Follies" or "Ziegfeld Girls" movie.
I sneaked through this maze of sheets hanging. I sneaked behind some of the sheets to get a different perspective. This was my journey and no one was going to stop me. I was like Dorothy trying to find the Wizard from Oz. I wanted to seek out any foreign obstacles.
I wanted to be prepared. In the distance was a small house. I was not going to be rushed. Was there going to be a big bad wolf behind one of these sheets? I know it sounds childish. But it was wonderful to relive some childhood games and memories. It was as if my life was flashing before you in a few minutes. ( I know that feeling sadly courtesy of a near death experience at work in November 1998.)
I was hanging on for dear life. I did not want this show to end.
I entered the Doll's House and young lady was seated on a stool. I approached and was welcomed and sat down on a stool. She asked me for my book. I gave it to her. A small bowl sat on the ground near her feet. I reached down to explore. She dipped a brush into this small bowl and painted a stroke in my little red book. I was given the book to smell. I luxuriated in the moment and as I continue to write my memories on January 19th 2017 the experience lingers. It was an expensive experience but so cheap for the months and years of in-depth memories that permeate my being.
The order of the experience blurs, while the experience leaves an indelible impression on my being.
I entered a tent and lady had a stool for me to sit on at her table with a bowl of strawberries. She pointed for me to select a strawberry. I picked one and she cut it in half and dipped it in chocolate. She offered to feed me with this strawberry. I wanted to remember this moment and rather than eat the strawberry I wanted to put it in my red book. I wanted to taste the strawberry but not be fed. I was not allowing her to feed me like she was subservient to me. I was not going to be Cleopatra demanding my grapes be peeled. I did not think this was luxuriating but humiliating for her. I smeared the chocolate covered strawberry in my red book and she scolded me and pointed for me to leave. I knew we had choices in this experience, and I was curious if everyone had been told to leave no matter what choice they made. I was pleased I made my choice as she did not understand why I made my decision. I did not want to be spoon fed the same experience. (Later my partner told me that he too was scolded, but for different reasons.)
A sequence with the origami boats occurred with a young man and I playing with a cut out sailing ship as if the ship was sailing through the waves. The sea and waves became rougher. I thought I could hear water lapping. A man fell overboard - over a makeshift wall. The young man pulled on some ropes and he was saved and back in the origami boat. I felt relieved and a warmth shot through my body. I could hear water lapping again and suddenly the black curtain opened.
A welcoming arm came through the drawn curtain. I was invited to step up and forward into a small boat. I smiled and fare-welled my host.
Stepping into the boat and instructed to lay down, I recognised an actor Garry Abrahams. I did not say anything and trusted this experience even more as I respect his work and integrity. A sheer veil or gauze was placed over my face as if I was in a Indian cremation ceremony along the Ganges. It felt like my near death experience and I savoured the gratitude of my life laying in this gentle rocking boat. I laid in awe of the simplicity of this moment and tears welled in my eyes as I succumbed to the experience. Floating and sailing to a new adventure.
I was led, by a man, to a ramp with roped sides, and directed to walk up the ramp. I began and then turned back and I wanted to walk backwards for a few steps to savour the experience and recall where I had come from. I was berated, and he grabbed my forearm and told sternly "Stop". I thought I am not a child. This is my experience and I have had a lot of experience with safety issues. I am not a drop-kick and going to endanger my life or yours, I thought. It felt so contrived and manipulated as if this was the second time we had to be challenged on our journey. I felt stead fast that I am not going to be controlled, Coerced or encouraged, yes - but not discouraged. It made me feel my determination in my life and my resilience to bounce back and move forward.
I entered another area where I was invited to sit and rest. She said "you can sit as long as you want." The two people who had gone before me were seated in this space. One, my partner had gone two people ahead of me and I sat away from him. I did not want to affect his experience. Small log-like stools and benches were scattered in the space of refuge, and a place for contemplation and reflection. Inside a small cave cut-out area a woman tended to a small campfire where water was boiling. She was also washing small cups and other items. She was content in her work and offered me a drink to refresh myself. I sat and re-lived so many aspects of my journey. I contemplated the connection to my life and similarities in how I travelled in this experience. I tried to recall so many feelings, thoughts, memories, pictures, senses as I sat. I took my cup over the young lady who was washing some cups. I thanked her.
I left this space richer for the experience.
I remember the kinaesthetic experience of touch and movement. The various textures on the floors, walls were felt by my hands and face. During the pitch black sequence of walking along a corridor I felt confident and not scared of the dark. I could imagine some people may be thrown with this pitch black atmosphere. My balance was compromised as I walked along feeling my way.
I had not felt this amount of exhilaration for years. The last time was during and after "Since I Suppose" at the
2014 Melbourne Festival.
There were more than the traditional five senses in this experience. I would add those of anticipation, time related, geographical, spatial, fear,
The experience reminded me of
"Westworld", where patrons pay to enter the Wild West theme park.
I left with my scented and now chocolate-and-strawberry-smeared-red book! I had a unique souvenir that hopefully will end up with the rest of my theatrical collection in the Performing Arts Collection at the Arts Centre Melbourne.
This show obtained a 9/10.
