Type – Physical theatre, Fringe Festival
Motion Sickness: A barrage of dread and jumbled thoughts set to an original and electrifying score
Motion Sickness is an award winning and highly acclaimed piece written and directed by Ben Ashby and intensely delivered by Ethan Morse with Asha Barr and Toby Leman (AKA Michael Dupp).
We start with a rhythm of electronic beats as streams of computer code roll across the stage, and you get the sense of the chaotic tempo about to unleash. The public doom-scroll starts.
An opening monologue; searing and unrelenting. A ride through thoughts and feelings from grandiose to insignificant and back again. As the show progresses, we’re taken through disjointed fragments of life. A montage on hyper-speed where every element on stage adds to the perpetual dread and the undulating intensity. The forever scrolling text, the looped music, the constantly firing thoughts.
Spoken words being the dominant feature, the delivery is purposefully erratic and subdued in all the right parts but unfortunately muffled by the music. Despite this, the sense of unburdening and cleansing remains strong, due to Morse’s irrepressible performance. The duration of one hour was plenty of time to saturate the audience with sounds and shrieks as the cries of a generation were belted out. That energy is sustained throughout.
The stage is sparingly bare, putting the dialogue and music centre stage. A central circular curtain, used as a haven and a backdrop and flanked by the working parts controls the beats and imagery. At one point the stage is stripped right back to express the idea of nothingness.
Leman‘s (AKA Dupp) original score as the anchor, and the surprising sax solo are impressive. The standout is the digital display of text by Barr corroborating each of the scenes; scrolling up to set the pace, pulsing to match breath, tumbling softly in sorrow, and weaving to create intricate patterns. All used to subtly accentuate the density of the script.
Here, all aspects of the performance run rampant. Spoken word, digital text and synthesised music all feel untamed and effervescent, rolling through stages of grief, anger and comedic moments. At its climax they all melt into each other, culminating in a high-spirited dance sequence, expertly choreographed by Nadiyah Akbar. The lighting and ambience are typical of a rave; with pulsating lights and rhythmic sounds. Monologues trying to pierce through, above the noise, only heightens the sense of panic.
Motion Sickness asks some big questions and also some random ones. It searches for meaning but ultimately leaves all ends open. As with anything existential there is no resolution. The forever loop of thoughts continues as the next distraction washes over.
Is MOTION SICKNESS Worth Seeing in SYDNEY?
This is a live doom scroll event; unpredictable and fast paced. Thoughts and dreams, wishes and rants, spiralling at times, reminiscent of an immersion into self and a realisation that we are all part of something, even if a small part. A human experience from an innately human perspective.
Motion Sickness is stream of consciousness personified. An edge of present show where performances are electrified by an original score and a mesmerising digital backdrop.
Tickets and Practical Info for Motion Sickness in SYDNEY 🎟️
Presented by a2 Company 16-19 September for Sydney Fringe Festival
Writer and Director – Ben Ashby
Musician and Composer – Toby Leman (AKA Michael Dupp)
Designer and on-stage Operator – Asha Barr
Actor – Ethan Morse
Choreographer – Nadiyah Akbar
