Privacy is dead – get over it!

Sign your privacy away as you enter one of the most confronting, personal theatre experiences of your life. The University of Queensland Drama Department in collaboration with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre brings a new type of theatre to the Anywhere Festival with Unspeakable Acts of Privacy.

This is not a performance, it is more than that; this is an experience. Unspeakable Acts of Privacy combines physical theatre, intimate one-on-one confrontations, iPhone applications and audience’s personal information to reflect a world where privacy is dead. This production exploits the audience’s privacy as it pushes and shoves them through awkward, confronting and downright violating experiences. But that’s essentially what this production is; violation at its very best.

I sit here, attempting to write what happened throughout the show, but that is impossible to do. No one will experience the same thing in this production, and that’s the best part. Every audience member went through an entirely different set of shared moments with the cast, all being as equally powerful and confronting. The intimate nature that drives this production is the only way such a message can be conveyed, disturbing the audience in the just right amount.

The actors skillfully portray such unhinged characters; with very professional and realistic acting. The production really jelled together nicely, adeptly utilizing various conventions of theatre and the way in which the campus was transformed into a performance area was as creative as it was impressive.

However, there is a lot of walking in the show, and at times it distracted from the purpose of the performance. It would be in the director’s best interest to add more to these transitions, to make it part of the show, rather than just a relocation.

This is a type of show I’ve never experienced before and I highly recommend being part of it while you can. Whilst it may not be for the easily offended; this show is well worth the risk; you’ll be surprised how much you’ll enjoy it.