Malthouse Theatre has today announced the seven leading Australian media and entertainment personalities who will star in the highly anticipated Australian premiere of ECHO: Every Cold-Hearted Oxygen. The international theatrical sensation by Nassim Soleimanpour arrives in Melbourne direct from London’s Royal Court Theatre for a limited season from 14–19 July.
Actors Ben Lawson, Pia Miranda, and Nadine Garner; comedian Michelle Brasier; journalists Jan Fran and Stan Grant; and presenter and musical theatre icon David Campbell, will take to the stage next month in a series of unique, never-to-be-repeated solo performances at Malthouse’s Merlyn Theatre.
These entirely unrehearsed performances have astonished audiences around the world, as each performer is guided through the script in real time by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (White Rabbit, Red Rabbit; NASSIM) and Italian-Palestinian director Omar Elerian.
Described by Soleimanpour as a “long-distance magic show,” the performance uses technology to orchestrate a fleeting, transcendent and transcontinental 90-minutes of real-time collaboration, synchronising the playwright in Berlin and each performer on stage.
Globally renowned for his signature ‘cold reads’, Soleimanpour’s previous works have attracted world-class acting talent including Emilia Clarke, Meera Syal, Fiona Shaw, and Benedict Wong.
“It’s the unpredictability of this style of performance that I find so thrilling,” says Soleimanpour. “It’s the most alive theatre can get. Imagine watching a football match—Melburnians especially will know what I mean—and you already knew who would score and when. It’d be less fun. That’s why we don’t want to spoil it!”
Elerian echoes this sentiment: “With Nassim’s plays, there’s always a certain level of secrecy because the actors shouldn’t read or see a production of the play beforehand—it’s essential to preserving that sense of freshness. Secrecy isn’t vital to the making of the play, but it absolutely enhances the experience for both the performer and the audience. We think Melbourne is really going to love that sense of discovery.”
This Australian premiere production is led by the original creative team, including creative technologist/video and production designer Derek Richards, lighting designer Jackie Shemesh, composer and sound designer Anna Clock, creative producer and dramaturg Immanuel Bartz, dramaturg Kirsty Housley, and script editor Stewart Pringle.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Monday 14 July 6.30pm: Michelle Brasier
Tuesday 15 July 7.30pm: Ben Lawson
Wednesday 16 July 7.30pm: Stan Grant
Thursday 17 July 7.30pm: Pia Miranda
Friday 18 July 7.30pm: Jan Fran
Saturday 19 July 2pm: David Campbell
Saturday 19 July 7.30pm: Nadine Garner
malthousetheatre.com.au
