Unaustralia - Malthouse - Development November 2006 | Forthcoming 2007

Unaustralia is set in an Internet broadcast studio during mankind’s final hour. It is Christmas Eve, 2070, and a tremendous storm that has wiped out almost the entire human population of the planet is headed towards Melbourne, the last city, bearing in its eye a deadly virus which causes its victims to die laughing. To the studio have come the richest, most powerful and celebrated VIPs from around the globe. They have followed the evangelist, Dr Oral Rondonald Jnr, who has promised them immortality. They have diverted the whole world’s wealth to finance his computer program, Hev-Net, into which they intend to upload their personalities and live forevermore in a paradise of their own choosing.

Based on the main site in which the play takes place (an internet broadcast studio) the video design for this play is centred around the concept of 'materiality'. As such a series of images will be constructed using both real and model representations of curtains and banners, which open, rise, unfurl, split, rip and part to reveal information and characters. These images will be augmented by custom digital effects, text and imagery worked (literally) into the material. Utilising both rear and front projection it will be possible for actors to directly interact with the projections and vice versa through shadow puppetry and projected lighting effects.