By Kristy Johnson of Dance Informa.
February sees a new major work by De Quincey Co, Inner Garden, continuing a series of site-specific works created by the company. Set inside a hidden, walled garden in Rozelle, Sydney, the piece delves into the mind to explore the power of our obsessions.
What makes this piece unique is that the performance is to take place around you. Instead of sitting down to watch a show, once you enter the garden the artists and dancers are performing within the space.
Conceived and directed by Tess de Quincey, artistic director of the company, Inner Garden includes sculptural choreography, evocative installations and intriguing lighting. Dance Informa recently caught up with Tess to chat about the process and challenges of creating site-specific works.
What attracted you to want to create site-specific works?
“I think it asks a lot of questions about place, where we are and what the history is. But also how we’re going to be using the future. So it’s about taking the elements and making sense of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it – things like that I guess.”
What challenges come with creating site-specific works?
“Well, there are always a lot of difficult things. They’re not set up as theatres. So essentially, you’re moving a lot of things in that relate to theatre like lighting and sound.”
How did Rozelle in Sydney come up as a possible location?
“I’ve actually wanted to do something around these buildings for years, and then Laneway Festival had given us the opportunity to do that. Callan Park in Rozelle is a very beautiful area with a natural bay and surrounding. It has a presence to many people in Sydney, so I think it’s great to bring focus and light to it, and illicit the stories that come from it from a range of different perspectives.”
How have you found the audience reaction to be to site-specific works?
“One of the great things is that you actually give the audience permission to interact with the performance. You’re giving them permission to focus on something they don’t normally focus on and maybe also to go somewhere they haven’t gone. There’s elements of the surreal that come into it by building some of the things that we’re building so that’s not something one encounters in everyday life.”
What can we expect to see in terms of costumes for Inner Garden?
“There’s quite a range of things actually. The costume designer, Tom Rivard, has been working backwards and forwards. He’s had to rip things apart and rebuild them again. Some things happen really quickly and other things need constant rebooting.”
For further information and bookings, visit www.dequinceyco.net.
Photos: Performer Linda Luke. Photos by Wendy Kimpton.
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