Choose-your-own theatrical-adventure style playground LOVE LUST LOST is currently being built in Melbourne in preparation for its premiere next month at The Austral, Collingwood.
From the creators of the runaway underground hit, A Midnight Visit, which ran in Melbourne for an extraordinary 16 weeks in 2019, Broad Encounters’ brand new immersive theatrical experience will span more than 1900 sq. metres of spectacle, adventure, puzzles, libations, and delectable delights – if you can find them…
SPECTACLE
LOVE LUST LOST is a spectacle of performance that puts you just inches away from the action. Expect aerial circus, live music, jaw-dropping dance, intimate theatre and one of the most epic stage fights ever seen in Melbourne.
PUZZLES
There’s almost 2kms of sprawling immersive spaces, including a ship’s brigg, only discoverable after solving a series of escape room-style puzzles. Layered within The Austral is also 2kms of real plumbing pipe and 40-odd buckets to catch all the dripping water from this ‘leaking’ ship.
ADVENTURE
A real adult theatrical playground means a light-up dance floor, bounce house, slide and foam rave, all located deep within the show. Want to unravel all the story’s secrets in one fell swoop? Follow the reports on Kraken sightings down a hidden tunnel to solve the ultimate mystery.
LIBATIONS
If you have the entry password and are prepared to get a little wet (!) a secret shot bar exists hidden in the maze. But these ain’t no ordinary shots on offer. Our pick is The Captain’s Silver Bullet – Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila followed by a chaser of Aloe Vera juice and then a lime wedge sucker.
DELECTABLES
Feeling peckish during your journey to the underworld? The show’s daily props list includes a few dozen fresh oysters, a litre of Kraken Spiced Rum, a dozen glitter pills, a couple of fresh crabs and enough seaweed nori to stock a sushi bar.
LOVE LUST LOST invites you to discover a seductive and decadent underworld of mystery, sacrifice and sweet surrender in a performance experience like no other.
Embark upon a strange craft helmed by the mysterious and unpredictable Captain Anderson. Descend into a shimmering subterranean world where madness roils, dreams unfurl and aching secrets bloom through the darkness. Will you uncover the mysteries of the deep?
All performance sessions last 75 – 90 minutes. You are encouraged to move through the venue at your own pace, following the residents of the underworld or charting your own course.
Left or right, up or down, let your curiosity and instinct be your guide. Imbibe in some Dutch courage before and after your journey at the bespoke bar offering choice libations and salty bites.
Conceived by a team of over 80 creatives, this 360-degree sensory experience will be performed in 40 intricately designed spaces across three floors, making it the most expansive immersive theatre show to ever play in Melbourne.
Created and co-written by Kirsten Siddle with co-writer and dramaturg Helen Cassidy, the LOVE LUST LOST creative team consists of Scott Maidment (Stage Director), Nigel Poulton (Fight Director), Josh McIntosh (Set Design), James Browne (Set Design), Ebony Webb (Set Design), Michael Theiler and Peret von Sturmer (Sound Design), Jason Glenwright (Lighting Design), Mik La Vage (Musical Arrangements) and Olga Dumova (Original Costume Design).
LOVE LUST LOST
The Austral, 202 Johnston Street Collingwood
Season: 8 September – 29 October 2023
Information and Bookings: www.lovelustlost.com
Images: LOVE LUST LOST – photo by Jade Ellis | Welcome (supplied)