2004

PRODUCTION:
Unconditional Positive Regard

Short performance commissioned for Performance Space’s 21st birthday celebrations

VENUE:
Performance Space, November 6, 2004.

PROGRAM NOTES

We are happy. We are joyful. We stand and watch the dawn of a new era of great achievement. A gesture of solidarity towards Prime Minister John Howard’s victorious “proud nation, confident nation, and united nation”. We wish we lived in this nation.

A 21st birthday gift from version 1.0 to Performance Space, in recognition of troubled times.

REVIEW

"Version 1.0 showing continued commitment to boozing their way through the current political depression, at least performatively, bared an arse to a rapped-up version of John Howard’s victory speech. Not subtle, but it wasn’t that kind of night."
Keith Gallasch, RealTime

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Production Credits:
Performed by Danielle Antaki, Nikki Heywood, Stephen Klinder, Shiereen Magsalin, Matt McCoy, Deborah Pollard, Christopher Ryan, Harley Stumm, Yana Taylor and David Williams.

Music by:
Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION:
"It's not a Question of Authority, It's a Question of Will" (George W Bush)

A short performance commissioned for RealTime’s The Party of the Decade

VENUE:
Performance Space, June 12, 2004

PROGRAM NOTES

You have been warned.
At this line in the sand, an army of performers will deploy weapons of self-destruction.
Be alert and alarmed.
Be shocked and awed.
Be here now.
Be witnesses.

COMMENTARY

June 2004. On a bare stage in Redfern, Sydney, Australia, US President George Bush begins speaking a remix of his 2002 State of the Union address with the backing of a menacing guitar riff. He asks rhetorically

“How will we fight and win this war?”

As he speaks ten performers from the performance group version 1.0 enter, each carrying a bottle of wine, a glass, and a bottle opener. They stand in a straight line facing the audience. Their gaze is directly forward, each intently eyeballing at an individual audience member. No one smiles. As President Bush forcefully demands war on Iraq to eliminate what are now known to be fictional weapons of mass destruction, the soundtrack switches abruptly to a US soldier's enthusiastic description of his weaponry – armour-piercing rounds, explosive rounds, and grenades.

The performers open their wine bottles. They fill their glasses, toast the audience, and begin drinking. By the second glass, President Bush's voice returns, becoming a litany of righteous indignation at the evil of these weapons of mass destruction. At the centre of the line, one performer has a bottle roughly taped around his head, and drips wine down his sleeves to fill his glass cupped in both hands in front of him, grimacing painfully.

Is this a bizarre, ridiculous and disturbing echo of the Abu Ghraib torture photographs? Is it a cruel joke? If it is, then no one is laughing. What would it be to laugh at such imagery? The performers continue to drink steadily, glass after glass, saying nothing, never removing their eyes from their chosen audience member. As if to say: we don't want to do this, but we will do our duty. As if to say: we do this for you. As if to say: you are part of this. You are cannot avoid responsibility simply by sitting passively in the dark.

They continue drinking until the bottles are empty. President Bush finishes his speech to enormous applause, continually building in intensity. As the recorded applause reaches its peak, the line up of performers exit silently with their now empty bottles. Is this what political theatre in Australia has become – the relentless, grim faced, and ridiculous deployment of weapons of self-destruction? Is this all political theatre can do in the face of neo-conservative triumph – drink itself into a stupor?
David Williams

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Performed by:
Danielle Antaki, Nikki Heywood, Stephen Klinder, Shireen Magsalin, Matt McCoy, Cheneoh Miller, Deborah Pollard, Harley Stumm, Yana Taylor, Rohan Thatcher, and David Williams.

Music by:
Tom Compagnoni

PRODUCTION:
CMI (A Certain Maritime Incident)
A performance devised from the “Children Overboard” Inquiry transcript

VENUE:
World Premiere season 26 March- 11 April, Performance Space, Sydney

PROGRAM NOTES

version 1.0 in association with the Dept. of Performance Studies, Sydney University presents CMI (A Certain Maritime Incident).

"The TV news deadline has passed, Senator Faulkner. You can turn away from your theatrics." (Senator Brandis, CMI inquiry transcript page 1582)

“I did not hear the question; I was engaged offstage, I have to say.” (CHAIR, CMI inquiry transcript page 1542)

When it comes to theatre, there s nothing quite like a Senate inquiry. And when it comes to politics, there s no-one else making theatre like version 1.0, one of the most exciting new companies in Sydney— hailed as "a refreshing new vision in performance" (RealTime), and "challenging and hilarious" (Sydney Star Observer). Put the two together and you have CMI (A Certain Maritime Incident)— an edgy performance devised from the transcripts of the Senate Select Committee on a Certain Maritime Incident, the inquiry into the children overboard scandal.

CMI explores the "children overboard" lies, the real tragedy of SIEV-X, border panic hysteria, the failure of the political process, asking fundamental questions at the intersection between the personal and the political. In CMI six acting Senators wrestle with their wills, their words, their politics & each other, aided and abetted by multi-channel video and real time lie detection software. The Inquiry talks the talk that numbs the intellect and paralyses the body's capacity for outrage.

CMI is a public act of outrage, a staging of outrageous acts, a guided tour along the treacherous border separating cool heads from icy cold rage. CMI is heartbreaking and hilarious, a horribly funny tragedy.

WHATE THE CRITICS SAY ABOUT CMI (A CERTAIN MARITIME INCIDENT):

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Created and performed by:
Danielle Antaki
Stephen Klinder
Nikki Heywood
Deborah Pollard
Christopher Ryan
David Williams

Producer:
David Williams

Lighting:
Simon Wise

Video & Design:
Samual James

Sound:
Jason Sweeney

Lie Detection Software:
pvi collective

Outside Eye:
Yana Taylor