Epic quests are as old as theatre itself, and though the poet Homer may have puzzled over some of the elements of Tim Mager’s The Omega Quest, he would certainly have recognised its basic form.
Here, instead of a storm-tossed mariner like Odysseus, the hero is an astronaut, Adam (Francis Mcmahon), the only human to have survived the cataclysmic destruction of the Earth. Imperilled by marauding aliens and flung headlong into wormholes only to emerge light years hence, Adam wanders the vastness of space seeking a new world to call home.
This almost wordless sci-fi epic – complete with star-strewn vistas, hurtling swarms of meteors, robot sidekicks and terrifying tentacled beasts – is brought to life via dramatic lighting and cinematic sound design, simple sets, inventive costumes, and some truly remarkable puppetry.
Utilising the Japanese tradition of Bunraku (the show’s team of black-clad, ninja-like puppeteers are hidden in plain sight throughout the performance) the production creates big budget action sequences and startling shifts in perspectives with relatively low-tech equipment. The overall tone is light but never flippant, and there are judiciously handled moments of real poignancy, such as the flashback scene where Adam encounters the body of one his dead shipmates floating in space – though given the overall tone of the production, such moments are often quickly and successfully subverted, to great effect.
A dramaturg might have assisted the structure and flow of the story, which is sometimes a little muddled, and the changeover between scenes occasionally detracts from the pacing of the drama, but given the relatively low budget of this playful and engaging work, such flaws are easily overlooked.
Clever, inventive and extremely entertaining, The Omega Quest is well worth seeing – especially if you’re a fan of A) inventive indie theatre, B) epic sci-fi, C) puppetry, or D) all of the above.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
The Omega Quest
Creator/director: Tim Mager
Producer: Revolt Productions/Ryan Hodge
Lighting Designer: Ryan Hodge
Musical Director: Tim Mager
Scenographer: Ryan Hodge
SM/Puppeteer: Alice Pollard
SM/Puppeteer: Natalie Breakwell
Head Lighting Operator: Alex Ngyuen
Costume Design: Sorjeri Tane and Kim Richie
Props Design: Dieter Barry Creations, Ryan Hodge, Alice Pollard and Sorjeri Tane
Cast: Francis Mcmahon and Sophie Easthope
Puppeteers: Tim Sketcher, Benji Gronewegan, Cam Faull, Leif Helland, Alya Manzart, Simone Ivkovic, Josh Karlik and Sophie Easthope
Revolt Melbourne, Kensington
14 – 25 August
