The real genius of this work, and it was genius, lay in its seemingly ubiquitous accessibility. Wouters and Wilson are masters of their highly choreographic craft, elevating the everyday into a surreal theatrescape, by offering an almost tangible alternate reality, that we in the know recognise all too well, is only ever able to be fully accessed by very few.
—Vicki Van Hout, Form
Part DIY shed, part Medieval research centre, part obsessive Bunnings shopping spree, Crush blows up the boundaries of the physical body and mind.
Lee Wilson, Mirabelle Wouters, Mickie Quick and Phil Downing have been in the lab, fixated on phenomena like pressure, vacuum, gravity, magnetism – and slimy, gloopy stuff.
Asking questions and testing limits. How much force does it take to lift you between two panes of glass? Can you stand on the end of a bunch of flexi conduit and walk on masses of them rolling on the floor? How would you breathe inside a plastic bag with all the air sucked out of it?
With mind-blowing experiments and jaw dropping phenomena. Prepare to be stunned as if you are catapulted across the stage in this gripping new physical performance. Do not try this at home.
metal… magnets… suits of scrap metal armour… rat traps… full on fender feedback… catapults… ah that catapult was so exciting and the sound all swirling and booming and take a big breath – now distort and amplify
—Gail Sims, audience member
collaborating artists
Lee Wilson
Mirabelle Wouters
Mickie Quick
Phil Downing
sound design
Phil Downing
lighting design
Neil Simpson
production manager
Aaron Clarke
stage manager
Annie Winter
rigging
Finton Mahony
producer
Jennifer Greer Holmes
originally produced by
Harley Stumm for Intimate Spectacle
commissioned by
Sydney Opera House
Trailer
Opening Season
UnWrapped,
Sydney Opera House
25 – 29 November 2020, 7pm.
The Playhouse
Crush was commissioned by the Sydney Opera House Trust enabled by the SOH executive committee and originally Produced by Harley Stumm for Intimate Spectacle.
