All The Mall’s A Stage
Westfield Geelong is sticking its neck out to support the arts this week, and shoppers will be part of the act.
The shopping center is playing host to Back to Back Theatre’s small metal objects. Center court has been rigged up with a purpose-built raised seating bank, complete with individual sets of headphones. This lets viewers spy in on the drama unfolding in the production. Four actors, two with learning disabilities, will play the drama out in the crowded shopping center, giving an emotional performance that is, for them, divorced from their audience. The audience eavesdrops from their seats. It’s a show designed for a public space, and it’s part voyeurism, part public participation.
Center manager Jonathon Codman is excited for the performance. “It’s fantastic to see an innovative theatrical program like small metal objects leading the way. Westfield Geelong is proud to be hosting a production that will push the boundaries and keep people thinking long after the performance has concluded,” he said. The show has been performed at train stations, parks and town squares, and now it will find a great fit at the mall.
