AN ALBANY media company has designed and filmed an audiovisual display that will act as a cinematic backdrop to a theatre performance set to tour the state.
A Fortunate Life is a theatre show that will be performed live at cinemas in Albany, Midland, Busselton and Geraldton.
A filmic aspect of the show will play on the cinema screen behind the actors.
Albany-based Green Man Media was selected to be the audiovisual designer of the project and creative director Josephine Hayes said the innovative nature of the production was both a highlight and a challenge.
“Our involvement with this production is a landmark in the development of our new entertainment platform Cinemastage, which is a joint venture with Albany businessman and composer, Ronald Siemiginowski of Orana Cinemas,” she said.
“Cinemastage links audiences with live entertainment in cinemas throughout regional and metro WA, pushing the boundaries of the cinema environment and welcoming musicians, public speakers and theatre companies to integrate live footage and big screen backdrops into their performances.”
A Fortunate Life is an autobiography by Albert Facey, published in 1981, nine months before his death.
It chronicles his life in WA, experiences as a private during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and his return to civilian life.
It was adapted for the stage by Theatre 180’s Jenny Davis and Stuart Lalusz and the footage captured by Green Man Media will re-create significant landscape scenes in the narrative.
“We are working to immerse the audience in this rich story – to deliver authentic visualisations of the environments that are key to Facey’s story and working closely with Stuart Halusz to form a visual style that compliments the live performance,” Hayes said.
“It’s a thrill to see our small team sink their teeth into this production, and to work with a passionate team of creatives in Perth who share our vision for storytelling.”
Halusz said A Fortunate Life was a perfect project for the evolution of Theatre 180, addressing their vision of bringing their work of an entirely WA project to a potentially greater audience in WA.
“Theatre also lives outside of theatre venues and I’ve always been passionate about site-specific works which extend the possibilities of audio-visual creativity as well as the talent of WA writers, actors, set and costume, lighting and sound designers,” he said.
“This exciting, new project marries the immediacy of theatre with the visual impact of cinema.”
The show will arrive in Albany in March next year and tickets are available from afortunatelife.com.au