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Night Night is the story of Pip (Arielle Gray), an Antarctic scientist based at the Solset Antarctica Base who is searching for the origin of life.
Encouraged by visions of an albino penguin, Pip uncovers an energy source in another realm that could be the answer she’s looking for. The purity and innocence of this light source brings her joy and a connection with the deeper meaning of life. When this new world and her discovery is threatened, Pip must decide what she is going to do. Will she make the ultimate sacrifice?
This is a story with a strong message, and while it’s open to interpretation, I took one clear theme from it. It seems to be human nature to destroy that which we do not understand. When will we learn, and at what cost?
Night Night is performed by WA’s The Last Great Hunt, an artist-led collective renowned for their innovative approaches to storytelling, and this performance is a wonderful example of that. By combining puppetry, animation, technology, live performance, and music, the audience is taken on this journey with Pip.
And what a journey it is!
The performance is predominantly unspoken, and the skill of performers Arielle Gray and Tim Watts, and the way they utilise physical performance with a soundtrack that masterfully captures the mood and direction of each scene, is really well executed. The interplay between the on-screen story and the behind-the-scenes performance also creates a layered and entirely captivating experience.
Night Night is a wonderful show. While there were a few moments I felt a little lost in the storyline, ultimately I was captivated from the very beginning, walking away in amazement at how this show was created. It’s one for the whole family too, so make a night of it.
Night Night is showing at Studio Underground until Sunday 2 March.