The Blue Room Theatre in Perth have announced that two shows from their 2020 season, The Jellyman by Rhiannon Petersen and The Golem: or, Next Year In Jerusalem by Humphrey Bower & Tim Green will take place before the end of year.
The Jellyman by Rhiannon Petersen
The Jellyman follows the journey of Jerry Hatrick, a crotchety complicated old caricature of a man full of opinions and garbage. He also looks a lot like Rhiannon Peterson, a party store Prometheus.
The Jellyman invites audiences to watch Jerry’s not so unfortunate demise as his identity begins to glitch and fragment until it disintegrates entirely. Featuring projection, puppetry and maybe an inflatable wind puppet woven through three parts, Petersen in drag, explores the ability to create and destroy selves and how our identity shapes the way we navigate the world.
Theatre maker Rhiannon Petersen (The Big Dark, Lab Rat), emerges from the pandemic with a visually epic show that highlights a tenacious passion for making fun of the oppressive constructs that restrict us- all with stuff she’s found at spotlight.
“A key thread of The Jellyman is about accepting chaos and uncertainty, and while in the work this is focused upon identity, it feels very relevant in a year which has unfolded in the way it has,” says Petersen.
Directed by Sam Nerida (See You Next Tuesday) alongside a team of exceptional Perth artists, The Jellyman will provide a surreal meditation on gender and self that will take us away from our screens and back into the theatre.
Come expecting lip syncs, re-mixes, and your fair share of dumb jokes and join Jerry at the theatre for a craft fuelled visual journey that will deconstruct identity and velcro it back together.
The Jellyman runs at The Blue Room Theatre from 27 October – 7 November 2020.
The Golem: or, Next Year In Jerusalem by Humphrey Bower & Tim Green
The Golem was a creature made of clay and brought to life to defend the Jews of Prague. Then things got out of hand. Part myth, part memoir – the team who brought you The Apparatus (The Blue Room Theatre Best Performance Award 2019) are back with their most monstrous creation yet.
Featuring poetic and absurd text, bizarre physicality and haunting images from two of Perth’s most devious and twisted theatrical minds. Experience The Blue Room as you’ve never experienced it before in a promenade production using the entire building.
Two performers, two audiences, two intertwining journeys. Join us for one, or book for both: the choice is yours. Both journeys available as a single trip (Saturdays only).
“After Covid-19 changed everything, we’re feeling more excited than ever about getting back into the theatre and using it in an unprecedented way,” says Bower.
The Golem runs at The Blue Room Theatre from 1 December – 12 December 2020.
Both Productions have worked hard to meet Covid-19 safety requirements and in turn will create something a bit more unusual and unique for their season premieres. As a result of restrictions all performances have very limited seats.
For more information, and ticketing options for both productions, visit: www.blueroom.org.au for details.
Image: Humphrey Bower stars in The Golem – photo by Duncan Wright