To speak and not to speak about anything at all is nothing out of the ordinary, especially for a politician.
We need it to survive. It also creates wars.
DoubleSpeak explores Australian political rhetoric and its use of ‘doublethink’; holding two contradictory ideas at the same time as true. Set against the backdrop of the 2014 election, DoubleSpeak is a conversation between two performers that recounts their real experiences of political participation. Through the act of re-telling, reframing, and re-enacting these experiences the performance begins to unpack the different structures of control embedded within the borrowed language we use and suggests that there are inter-personal effects to our highly curated public dialogue.
The performance is interspersed with audio from street interviews recorded in residence at the performance venues, where a ‘public office’ set up for people to respond to and record political grievances.
An experimental performance about difficult conversations, the experience of living on an island and two bodies on stage.
Devised by The DIG Collective
Director: Alex Talamo
Performers: Michael Fee and Dana McMillan
Sound: Tim Sneddon
Light: Alex Talamo
Fan Design: Emma Adinolfi after Arjuna Benson and Athan Vadiakas
Dramaturgy: Richard Pettifer
Access Officer and Audio Describer: Joshua Lynzaat
Audio Description Technician: Michael Kelly from MAK-TRACK Audio
Outside Eye: Jean Tong and Casey Gould
Front of House: Christa Jonathan
Photography: Aaron Walker
Seasons
DoubleSpeak // V.1 // Are you happy with that response?, Anywhere Festival, Frankston (2015)
DoubleSpeak // V.2 // Melbourne Fringe Festival, Metanoia Theatre @ The Mechanics Institute, Brunswick (2015)
DoubleSpeak // V.3 // Silence and Being Silenced, Art and Activism month, Footscray Community Arts Centre (2016)
DoubleSpeak // V.4 // The conversation, Performance Studies International Conference (PSI2016), University of Melbourne Guild Theatre (2016)
Reviews & Press
A Response: Doublespeak – Immanent Disasters
Anywhere Festival – MINT Magazine
Anywhere Festival – Up the Creek with a pen…
Interview with Director Alex Talamo – Maggie Journal
Alex Talamo on Doublespeak – Maggie Journal
DoubleSpeak | Beat Magazine
DoubleSpeak| Maribyrnong Leader – 17 May 2016
Doublespeak | Frankston Standard Leader
Interview on Triple R’s SmartArts with Richard Watts (Interview from 1:38:00) – Featuring director Alex Talamo and performer Dana McMillan
Interview on SYN’s Art Smitten – Focus on sound design and access with Tim Sneddon and Joshua Lynzaat
FCAC DoubleSpeak Promotional Video
Media
“(with an) Orwellian soundtrack and dialogue and two performers one could not take one’s eyes off of, this was a mesmerizing night at the theatre… thought provoking, funny and insightful” – MINT Magazine“…living up to their reputation as experimental and innovative, (The DIG Collective) present an entertaining show – tightly scripted and acted” – Up The Creek with a pen…
“(The DIG Collective) is unlike any other theatre company in Melbourne” – Immanent Disasters
Audience Responses
“Superb performances, great set and direction. And politics that doesn’t preach or bore!! What more could you want in Fringe (or any) show. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this wonderful piece of theatre. Gosh, I haven’t been this excited about a piece of theatre in ages! Keep it coming DIG!”“Great work tonight Alex Talamo and cast! Really enjoyed all the thought provoking issues pulled together into a bit of a politically challenging gem… Oh and the plane prop, wheel and was it a turntable(?) – mesmerising!”
“My only Fringe Show this year! So thrilled to have seen these wonderful artists develop from strength to strength over this last year. Support this work!!”
Promotional trailer
Performance Trailer
