A truly innovative show, ‘A Stone’s Throw’ is the first ever physical theatre piece combining Chinese and Australian performers under a Chinese director. 

The piece creates a parable styled after the poetry of Tao Yuanming, set in a land of idyllic beauty where people live a serene pastoral life. A sudden misfortune in this community forces its members into a contemplation of their mortality.

Different characters- a fisherwoman, farmer and a beggar,who have gone through recurring cycles of life- are now faced with trying to explore its true meaning. There is also a wise man who is detached, but somehow inadvertently guides them through their challenging yet beautiful journey.

Director Noah Zhao Wang is a director long active in physical theatre in China .He has performed in noted festivals including Avignon and the Edinburgh Festival with prestigious Chinese theatre group SanTuoQi. His most recent award winning work, QIANG YU and the later, large scale work SHEN YU, were presented at the Beijing International Youth Theatre Festival 2017 and 2018. He moved to Australia early in 2019, where he joined Cross Encounters and  began  developing a  physical theatre style within a Chinese themed context. As Noah’s first project here, this work continues his artistic style, where possibilities and dynamics of the human body and pure performance interaction are central. 

From the play’s core idea and roles, the performers use movements and rhythmic relationships to shape characters and establish a sense of time and space, exploring the meaning of life’s  journey through different resonations.

Music plays a significant part in the piece, with improvised and composed music combining Chinese and Western music elements.  A striking approach, using solo guitar, evokes the classic tones of Chinese instruments such as Sanxian, Erhu and Yueqin, in an exciting way that highlights the dramatic elements of the story’. The composer &sound designer, John O’Beirne, is a local musician who has played around the Melbourne music scene for several years as a soloist and ensemble member in various rock, folk, pop and jazz outfits.John has also been involved in theatre composing since 2019.  

The collaboration between artists from different cultural backgrounds is the cornerstone of this project. The story, structure, performance style, music and creative line up of the whole play all reveal continuous progress in promoting cross-cultural communication between China and Australia – Here’s the mix-A theatre director from China, who has been active in major theatre festivals in China and Europe; a musician from Australia who creates original music while also acknowledging connections between Chinese and Western music; an actor from Australia accomplished in Chinese martial arts; and a performer originally from China who has studied acting and theatre in Australia. 

In “A Stone’s Throw” We’re endeavouring to create an interesting and meaningful art work that strengthens diversity and bonds between different cultures. Rather than frame it in a specific culture format, we are trying to integrate the ideas and concepts of artists with different cultural backgrounds in stead, which comes out an exciting chemistry. The audience might see a little fisherwoman with traditional Asia Coolie Hat and a local dressed farmer appearing in a scene and interacting with a beggar with European-looking. Then they going together on the way of recurring and exploring the true meaning of life. 

From the ambience of the whole play to specific design of the collective movements, we’re striving to create an innovative contemporary physical theatre piece that embraces Australian and Chinese culture. It’ll be interesting for the audience to see how we as a mixed cultural background team integrate the ideas and concepts of artists with different cultural backgrounds, which comes out an exciting chemistry.

We hope you’ll enjoy this distinctive cross-cultural journey!

A Stone’s Throw Group:

Director: Noah Zhao Wang

Composer&Sound Designer: John O’beirne

Set&Lighting Designer: Zena Wang

Cast: Jesse Donaldson, Rosemary Ochtman, Olivia Wang

Technician: Qixuan Jin

Stage Manager: Ashleigh Morris

Graphic Designer: Feiyang Liu

Publicity Group: Tia Han, Chang Su, Yang Dong and Tao Ren

Presented by Cross Encounters

November 25-28丨Melbourne Fringe 2020

Event Ticket Page: https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/a-stones-throw/

Event FB page: https://www.facebook.com/events/818887542255045/ 

Email: info@crossencounters.com.au

Website: www.crossencounters.com.au

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Cross-Encounters-101987318157330

Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8uHybMy3wOBfm3KEGgzEEA 

Instagram: @crossencountersau
Twitter: @EncountersCross

Weibo: @X戏界

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