Theatre review: St Kilda Tales: A Performance Rave: Explosives Factory

A multitude of characters drift in and out of each other’s lives in this new iteration of Raimondo Cortese’s St Kilda Tales: A Performance Rave, which premiered in 2001. Brisbane Music Festival and Victorian Theatre Company have updated the play to a contemporary setting and taken on the complex challenge of staging the production. 

The encounters in the play often overlap, with scenes occurring on different parts of the stage. This creates the feeling of an observer exploring the neighbourhood, one who can pick and choose which people and incidents interest them the most. While this narrative device creates an interesting atmosphere, the overlapping action also makes it hard to fully engage with any one scene or character, as there’s temptation to check out what is happening elsewhere.

Fortunately, at other times the focus is on individual vignettes that offer more of an opportunity to learn about the characters and their stories. 

The characters initially appear in pairs (such as father and son or best friends) or as individuals looking for connections. As they interact, relationships shift and more information about each character is gradually revealed. The ensemble cast successfully navigate the complexities of having scenes overlap while also being able to distinguish their characters from the crowd. Matthew Connell’s direction makes all the moving parts work smoothly. 

Oliver Hall’s set is well-designed, with various areas in which the action takes place. The centre of the stage has a velvet roped area where the performers can dance; it’s also a central meeting point. To the sides are a make-up stand, lifeguard tower and even a projector. The set-up of the Explosives Factory allows for the cast to exit to the side and back to have scenes occur off-stage. This is particularly well used for arguments – it gives the audience a sense of overhearing neighbours fighting. 

At the back of the stage is a keyboard and drums set-up that comes into play more and more as the show goes on. This includes a memorable sequence in which most of the cast engage in a nightclub dance scene. However, for a show advertised as a performance rave, St Kilda Tales could have made more of the musical elements. There just isn’t enough of it. 

The biggest issue with the play is the script, which is too much hit and miss in terms of story and characters. There is so much going on that it is hard to invest in any of the characters and their individual arcs and some well-written scenes are offset by less engaging ones. With not much in the way of resolution to anything, the production starts to drag and feels long at just under two hours. 

Read: Theatre review: Posh, Old Fitz Theatre

It is worth seeing for the talent on show, but the writing may leave you feeling that although you were at a party with some interesting people, you left without any compelling memories.  

St Kilda Tales: A Performance Rave, by Raimondo Cortese
Explosives Factory, St Kilda
Director: Matthew Connell
Composition: Jack Bochow
Musical Director: Alex Raineri 
Stage Manager: Teri Steer 
Assistant Director and Co-Producer: Blake Barnard 
Lighting Designer: Kris Chainey 
Set and Costume Designer: Oliver Hall 
Intimacy Director: Annabelle Tudor 
Cast: Alfie Baker, Clarisse Bonello, Anthea Davis, Shaun Goss, Molly Holohan, Tariro Mavondo, Michelle Perera, Joss McClelland, John Shearman, Tim Wotherspoon 

Tickets: $25-$48

St Kilda Tales: A Performance Rave will be performed until 10 May 2025.