Life, Death and “Secret Food Delivery” in Shanghai 生命,死亡和上海的“神秘外卖”
Fresh from winning Melbourne Fringe Festival’s 2018 award for Innovation in Culturally Diverse Practice, and sell-out seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Iceland, immersive theatre show ‘nomnomnom’ debuts in China in partnership with Untitled Space gallery (Zhujiajiao).
Created by Chinese-Australian artist Roshelle Fong, the site-specific, participatory show invites audience members to roleplay as staff on a job trial for a fictional “secret food delivery company” nomnomnom. Guided by star employee Trevor, audience go on an emotional rollercoaster ride, walking through the ancient streets of Zhujiajiao, interacting with actors and making deliveries to local businesses and residential houses. So what’s the secret?
“That’s obvious. You’ll have to come along to find out!” said Roshelle.
导演Roshelle:“非常明显,你必须要亲自参与进来才能有完美的体验!”
Roshelle is a Melbourned-based, multi-disciplinary artist currently undertaking the Women in Theatre program at Melbourne Theatre Company. She was also one of 200 artists invited to attend the Immersive Design Summit in San Francisco earlier this year and she can’t wait to bring her show to life for the 5th time in 10 months.
“Immersive theatre is about stepping into a multi-sensorial experience and being part of a story, not just a fly on the wall.“
“沉浸式剧场是一次身临其境的多感官体验,观众们成为剧情的一部份,而非作为一个不被察觉的观察者。”
“In nomnomnom, I want Shanghai audiences to be fully immersed in the role of ‘secret food delivery officer’ from the moment they put on their visors right through to entering real houses around Zhujiajiao,” she said.
Supported by the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, Roshelle will be exploring intercultural and bilingual themes in the show, including the use of Google Translate and stream of consciousness monologues playing through audience members’ earphones.
“As audiences watch Trevor (Australian actor Daniel Last) interacting with his slimy boss Brad (He Zheng) and various ‘clients’ in the show (Sharon Zhang, He Xianyun and Maggie Guan) I hope they relish in the joy and absurdity that language barriers and miscommunication can bring.”