A man named Hershall wakes up in a blimp, unaware of how he got there.
While this is how the absurdist and farcical comedy ‘Mystery in a Blimp’ begins, director Kevin Hopkins said this does not make the direction of the play predictable.
“It chops and changes,” he said.
‘Mystery in a Blimp’ will be running at the Bluestone Church Arts Space at 8A Hyde Space in Footscray from Thursday, March 23 to April 2.
Riding the line between a parody of murder mystery productions and challenging the meaning of creativity and personal identity, Hopkins said the play is a “very frivolous” ride involving seven characters unsure of what they are doing or who they are.
“It doesn’t really become clear,” he said.
“There is no answer to some of these questions.”
Unique answers as to what the eponymous mystery is will be handed out at the end in the form of a fortune cookie.
Including absurdist setpieces where a character gets eaten by a couch to the characters within the play talking directly with the writer, Hopkins said it will be an a “complex and interesting” journey for him and the actors to find the best direction to take the performance.
“We’re running the play fully now,” he said.
Written by poet and spoken word performer Nathan Curnow, the Footscray performances will be the professional premiere of the work after it was only performed once previously as a student production in Benalla 15 years ago.
Colloquially a Melburnian work, the play contains references to local theatre culture and the difficulties of staging a new play within the world of fringe theatre.
Cast members are Brian Davison, Helen Hopkins, Mia Landgren, Claire Nicholls, Gabriel Partington, Lachlan Watts and Cristina Wells.
Details: www.trybooking.com/CFJPW
