This interesting project was conceived by writer Geofrey Sykes. It was a show case of first acts of two very different plays. As a show case, the event gave the actors and director an opportunity to garner reactions from the audience in order to complete both of the plays. The first was KINGDOM OF AIR, a monologue of sentiments from Henry David Thoreau, the American transcendentalist writer. His iconic 1854 book, ‘Walden, on Life in the Woods’, is the entire source material for the monologue.
The text is a reflection upon the author’s simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment and voyage of spiritual discovery. Thoreau’s philosophy was summed up in this quote in the performance: “Don’t waste the years struggling for things that are unimportant. Don’t burden yourself with possessions. Keep your needs and wants simple and enjoy what you have. Don’t destroy your peace of mind by looking back, worrying about the past. Live in the present. Simplify!”
Despite this being a showcase, the producer, writer and director of this piece, Geoffrey Sykes, created a detailed and believable set. The monologue was performed by Samuel Feiteberg. Let’s hope we see more of Feiteberg treading the boards on Sydney stages. He’s very good. Act Two of Kingdom of Air will be presented later this year.
The second part of the vent was PARADISE NOW. The performer, choreographer and song composer was Claudia Cappeau. Clearly, she is a talented performer and imaginative creator. Geoffreyconceived of the piece and directed it. There was no particular story line or theme other than the general desire to comprehend the universe – a big question that this piece plays with. There are flashes of video images of earth from space, and of space from earth. There is a lot of potential in this PARADISE NOW, and we await the further development.
Geoffrey Sykes CHILDREN OF THE HOLY DOVE played a brief season at the Actors Pulse Theatre, Redfern closing on 30th August 2026.
Production photography by Nicky Ni
