Icarus is an imaginative leap of physical storytelling about the man who flew too high.
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Icarus is the story of a refugee’s epic journey with unimaginable risks told through physical theatre from Christopher Samuel Carroll.
It opened at The Street Theatre, Canberra on February 27.
Carroll based the piece on news reports he read about people falling from the sky in London, with their bodies discovered in car parks, playgrounds and quiet suburban streets.
Icarus draws from these hundreds of reported cases of those who have taken the ultimate leap of faith, stowing away in the landing gear of planes in an attempt to escape intolerable conditions of conflict, disaster and oppression.
"This wordless play had its genesis in the true story of a refugee’s journey, stowed away in the landing gear of a plane, before falling to his death on a street in a quiet and unassuming London suburb," Carroll said.
“There are millions of incredible stories of desperation, courage and hope in the epic journeys that people make every day for a basic standard of life that many of us take for granted, none of which is reflected in the statistics of refugee quotas, or the treatment of the human beings in detention centres."
Icarus is The Street’s first production of 2019, though it was first seen as a work in development in 2018.
From creative development in The Street’s First Seen program, offering audiences an insight into theatre-making and a vital part of its planning for future years to bring original and diverse Canberra stories to the stage - Icarus now runs for a five-day season in Street Two.
Icarus also featured in the Fringe World Festival in Perth in January and took out the award for best dance and physical theatre.
In a playful, imaginative style reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Carroll treats dark and complicated subject matter with a lightness of touch, focusing on the humanity at the heart of this incredible story.
An Irish physical theatre virtuoso trained in Paris at Ecole Jacques Lecoq and now based in Canberra, Carroll, a “master of the solo performance” (Canberra Critics Circle), will perform immersed in an intricate soundscape by award-winning designer Kimmo Vennonen and lighting design by Jed Buchanan.
Icarus is a show suitable for audiences of all ages that will leave your heart bleeding and your spirit soaring.
VENUE: The Street Theatre, 15 Childers St, Canberra City West.
- DATES: Wednesday 27 Feb, 7:30pm, Thursday - Saturday 28 Feb – 2 March, 7:30pm, Sunday 3 March, 4pm
- Duration: 55 minutes no interval
- TICKETS: $27 - $35
- BOOKINGS:(02) 6247 1223 or www.thestreet.org.au