This Belgian Theatre Company Ontroerend Goed have been described in the pre-publicity as a combined effort bringing visual art, theatre, poetry and political protest together. They described it as a “call to action”.  I was expecting something about the race to the reverse. Humanity is trying too hard to undo as fast as it attempts to race towards a future untenable, unstoppable and ever needing betterment. By its very virtue it will dig deeper holes and untether more destructive forces.

I have been to Ghent in Belgium, where the troupe originated. I went on a mission to witness the Ghent altarpiece. It is a beautiful artwork made for a church. Recognised as art in oils that is part of the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Framed as it is by Adam and Eve, setting the scene for the mystery of the adoration of the lamb (as it is also titled).

The play begins. A tree is illuminated, and then a sleeping figure awakes. A woman. A man, a woman, an apple from the tree. 

So here we are, where humankind begins. And perhaps at its end. We have altered the planet. We are always striving for a future proofed existence. Are we passed caring would seem the characters own hesitations mid-way through.

The work is ultimately very clever. The choreography, the tropes of working backwards too, and speaking backwards, then having the way of theatre’s own future flip the experience. On to film and a projected reality. The work is now in reverse. The words are now English where we had initially thought something European perhaps (although they still projected surtitles – just in case!).

There are elements that are joyful, cute even, definitely clever. Enough to move us now to take more care? Hmm. A production that needs to tell its message by destroying a potted tree each and every show. Brutal. That might be the point. Shocking careless destruction of our gardens. Our Eden.

The mystical elements, the glimpsed small deeds, relationships between the figures who potentially all represent each and every one of us. Here and now. Or are they? A character has magic in her fingers. Reversing the rubbish dump. Sending everything heavenwards. Another can reverse the eaten apple and as a final step reset it on the tree of knowledge.

Could they be our past and now we need to interact with a better future. Can they make us care about the future? I was engaged, I was working out the tricks and trying to make sense of ‘the point’ throughout. What concerned me most was the poor ruined tree.

PLAYING AT ROS PACKER THEATRE, WALSH BAY UNTIL SAT 20TH JANUARY – HTTPS://WWW.SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU/EVENTS/ARE-WE-NOT-DRAWN-ONWARD-TO-NEW-ERA

CREDITS

Ontroerend Goed acknowledges that Are we not drawn onward to new erA is a coproduction with Spectra, Kunstencentrum Vooruit Gent, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Adelaide Festival & Richard Jordan Productions Ltd. 

Director Alexander Devriendt

Cast Bastiaan Vandendriessche, Charlotte De Bruyne, Jonas Vermeulen, Karolien De Bleser, Kristien De Proost, Vincent Dunoyer

The performance features William Basinski’s ‘Disintegration Loops’ by Spectra Ensemble.

Ontroerend Geod would like to thank and acknowledge the financial support provided by The Flemish Government and the city of Ghent.