BRITISH COUNCIL AUSTRALIA
WE SHOWED NEW WORK FROM THE UK Rider Spoke by Blast Theory
Baghdad Wedding
Presented in February, Rider Spoke by Blast Theory saw over 600 cyclists take to the streets of Sydney in a unique cycling event, which mixed theatre and location game play with state of the art technology. Produced by the internationally acclaimed, UK-based urban gamers Blast Theory, the work combined interactive art, digital media and live performance to continue a fascination with how games and evolving communication technologies are creating new social spaces.
Molecular scientist Hassan Abdulrazzak queued with hundreds of fellow emigres in London to vote in Iraq’s first post-Hussein elections in 2005. When that great hope went belly-up, Hassan was inspired to write his first play, Baghdad Wedding, which was presented in February at Belvoir Street Theatre. Transitioning between London and the Middle East, the plays tells the story of Iraqi expat Salim and his friends, who wrestle with sex, culture and politics as their beloved country staggers to her feet.
On bikes equipped with a head-set and a computer to guide them, riders journeyed into the heart of The Rocks district in Sydney’s CBD, responding to questions posed by a narrator, recording intimate secrets and listening to recordings made by other anonymous participants. Rider Spoke was a unique self-directed experience, where the audience became both exhibitionist and voyeur, seeing their city in a new light. Rider Spoke was presented in partnership with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and Museum of Contemporary Art.
In support of Company B’s provocative production, we invited its playwright, Hassan Abdulrazzak, to join a programme with Sydney’s Iraqi and Arabic speaking communities. This included a full day workshop for emerging playwrights and a ‘community’ matinee performance for members of the Iraqi community. The performance was followed by an open discussion of the play’s themes, modern Iraq and the Iraqi expat experience with the playwright and cast.
Left: Rider Spoke by Blast Theory, image courtesy of Alex Kershaw. Right: Baghdad Wedding, courtesy of Belvoir Street Theatre.
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