THEATRE: SYDNEY GHOST STORIES
You know the ones – they’re off-white with long gangly black legs, fly with their beaks open and scavenge everything that moves. Playwright Lachlan Philpott calls them, “Those awful scary birds … that have descended upon urban areas.” An ibis is not the usual subject matter for a ghost story – but then this isn’t your usual collection of terrifying tales. Sydney Ghost Stories is a gathering of some of Sydney’s finest talents (Toby Schmitz, Tobsha Learner and Philpott to name a few) tapping into the hallowed genre of things that go bump in the night. Philpott’s conribution, Ibis, is about, “A young couple that move into the house of their dreams and it’s revealed that there’s something very strange about it … The audience won’t know what’s going on, but they suspect the birds are conspiring, plotting to steal a baby …” It was a challenge for Philpott to write something scary, “What we find scary now is different to what we used to find scary. Also, theatre can’t rely on special effects like film … so it needs to be psychologically disquieting.” Between all six writers they run the gamut, from gore-fests to more historical unearthings. “There are certain areas of Sydney where you can feel the layers of spirit coming through … and Woolloomooloo (where the theatre is located) is definitely one of those places …” And as an advocate of stories unique to the places where we actually live and breathe, it’s appropriate that the bearer of Philpott’s ghost story is the Australian white ibis.
Nov 25-Dec 19, Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling St Woolloomooloo, $21-35 (beer, laksa & show), 1300 GETTIX or moshtix.com.au
