Phantasmagoria

With magic, spirits from the other side and puppetry, Phantasmagoria is a hauntingly fantastical and chilling play that explores intergenerational trauma and one woman’s quest for the truth. Written and performed by the magnificent Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman, the story travels back and forth through time, shattering notions of space and reality.

Performed at Theatre Works in St Kilda, Phantasmagoria follows Briony (played dually by Trench-Thiedeman and Meg Dunn) in her pursuit of unlocking familial secrets. Briony – originally dubbed Briany, the masculine form, by her father – struggles with long-lasting romantic connections and believes it stems from her fractured relationship with her dad. She employs the services of a medium (Elnaz Sheshgelani) to reach her dad and have a few words with him.

What happens next, and for much of the play, is the discovery of her father’s (Yuchen Wang) past. It turns out he grew up in Sri Lanka and was a World War II vet who fought in Burma, made a harrowing escape, migrated to Australia, battled alcoholism, and, not least of all, attempted to kill Briony’s mother. So, when Briony finally faces the spirit of her father via an innocuous pot plant, does she finally get her cathartic moment?

Concepts of grief, identity, love, loss, connection and family are presented through the beautifully woven story and amplified by giant insect puppets, projection and animated imagery. Grief, characterised in the play as ‘Old Grief’ and ‘New Grief’, are given a life of their own, which may be a comment on how grief, as well as anxiety, tends to follow us around.

Phantasmagoria is a beautiful production. The cast were tremendous, and full credit goes to Trench-Thiedeman and Meg Dunn for playing the older and younger versions of Briony, often in tandem. The pair bounced off each other flawlessly, only heightened by Sheshgelani’s comedic timing and Wang’s masterful portrayal first as Briony’s father and secondly as her love interest. Dunn was especially exceptional for playing a range of characters, including the role of New Grief, a bumbling, black ball of dread obsessed with phone chargers and online dating, which generated much laughter.

On stage till Sunday 12 March, Phantasmagoria is remarkable and will take you for a mesmerising ride from start to finish.

Phantasmagoria
On stage till Sunday 12 March 2022
Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda, 3182
theatreworks.org.au/program/phantasmagoria

Images: Jack Dixon-Gunn