Vincent Ergo
Controlled Chaos Productions
107 Projects
Sydney, Australia
March 13, 2021
There are venues that seem to be custom-made for certain artistic incarnations and while 107 Projects is an artist led multidisciplinary creative, cultural and community organisation that has served as the forum for a myriad of diverse events and workshops, with its multi-levels, nooks and crannies, it proves to be ideal for an immersive theatre experience, where audience members are invited to freely roam through the space to explore the trials and tribulations of Vincent van Gogh.
Zeroing in on the tail end of van Gogh’s life, Controlled Chaos Productions created a truly enveloping world where the creative whole is much more than the sum of expertly executed sound and lighting design, costumes and the acting skills of the ten performers.
The journey starts with a complimentary drink at ‘The Night Cafe’, a haunt Vincent and other derelicts used to frequent, where one is invited to ease into the experience before traveling with van Gogh through the streets of France, catch a glimpse of him at the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole and get an intimate impression of his passions and desires by not only encountering the women he pursued, but through active interaction with the key figures of his life.
The fact that each participant has the opportunity to have an idiosyncratic experience with different options and narratives happening simultaneously in differently themed rooms, including private experiences where audience members become part of the performance, only adds to the appeal.
Having experienced quite a few immersive theatre performance before, Vincent Ergo proves to be one of the more inspired ones with utmost attention being paid to detail and a commitment to enabling the audience to have a great time while roaming through the set, e.g. by enabling them to enjoy some of van Gogh’s more prominent paintings through visuals and projections, without solely relying on the performances.
Summa summarum and without giving away too much as I do not want to spoil the experience, Vincent Ergo is a fantastic immersive experience based on a well-thought out script with an immensely talented cast. It should thrill both art aficionados as well as those keen to feel actively involved in a theatrical play with the guarantee that each person will end of with a unique experience.
I cannot wait to see what Controlled Chaos Productions will tackle next.
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image courtesy of Controlled Chaos Productions
