The Pool

An intimate study of the unique, fragile and varied stages of our lives, Black Swan State Theatre Company, in association with Perth Festival, presents The Pool by Steve Rodgers at the Bold Park Aquatic Centre, this February.

The Pool invites you to immerse yourself in an intimate experience as you eavesdrop on the conversations of ordinary everyday people through a personal headset.

A mother tries to connect with her adult daughter. A man continues his rehabilitation to strengthen his knee. Two teenagers find privacy in a lie to their parents.

Bombies in the deep end while the lifeguard isn’t looking, water aerobics classes, hot chips and choc milk, The Pool is an exploration of life as we know it and a celebration of our public spaces that create community. It is a delightfully voyeuristic experience, raw and relatable in every way.

“What interests me about The Pool is the way we’ll be able to observe people as if they’re close, but they’re at a comfortable distance, which I think is how we behave at the pool,” said Artistic Director Kate Champion. “And we’re also not wearing much clothing at the pool.”

“So, there’s something that allows people to be more comfortable and therefore maybe more revealing. And that’s how I’m hoping this experience will be, that we can have a voyeuristic passage into people’s lives without really feeling like we’re in their face or interfering.”

The Pool is a theatrical experience exploring the intimate relationships between the elderly, teenagers, and our families. Many people are parents, many people are teachers, every one of us is a student, and every one of us are someone’s child.

Audiences seated around the pool wear headsets to hear conversations that occur in the present, which are raw and quotidian in nature – an observance of the everyday. Interlaced memories as monologues, and stories about the character’s relationship to water and the community around a public pool litter the story throughout.

For over 40 years Bold Park Aquatic Centre has provided the people of Perth with aquatic facilities uniquely surrounded by one of the largest urban bushlands remaining in the region. The venue provides a strong sense of community and connection, complimenting the play’s themes.

As part of the show’s finale we invite you to join the cast in the pool for a brief aqua aerobics session. Ticket holders will be invited to register their interest in the class closer to the performance date.

Director: Kate Champion | Featuring: Kylie Bracknell, Anna Gray, Edyll Ismail, Emma Jackson, Joel Jackson, Geoff Kelso, Polly Low, Julia Moody, Tobias Muhafidin, Carys Munks | Composer & Sounds Designer: Tim Collins | Costume & Props Designer: Amelia Lambert | Assistant Director: Rachel McMurray | Stage Manager: Izzy Taylor | Assistant Stage Manager: Shannen Moulton