Speed Dating

Fest: How are rehearsals?

Brennan: "I had a big editing session today! Managed to cut down the first section out of my script by about three minutes."

Cofield: "It’s been a challenge because this is unlike anything I’ve written before. Considering the majority of it is verse, it has to adhere to syllable rules, rhyming schemes, and what not, so it’s been a long process. But the script writing is all done, the music is being done as we speak, and we just need to hammer it out."

What’s the elevator pitch?

B: "Hummingbird Effect is a sixty-minute, one-woman cabaret that blends the art of storytelling with acoustic covers of iconic hits from the 70s and 80s, from artists like Bowie, Pink Floyd and Phil Collins. It’s the kind of true story that you need to suspend your disbelief for because it’s all about chance meetings with a stranger, how paths randomly cross, and the things that are set in motion."

C: "Supernova is like Hot Fuzz meets Hamilton. It’s set in this bizarre townscape, which is based on a village in the UK where I come from, where all the characters are slightly off and a little bit weird. I wanted to juxtapose that by setting it against different musical styles including EDM dance music, classical-inspired music, hip hop, and rap."

And these shows are drawn out of personal experiences?

B: "Yes. By a bizarre set of circumstances I ended up in Port Fairy – which has a little bit of a magical name to it – for the folk festival. That’s the setting for the show, and that’s where the magic happens." 

C: "Yeah, it’s very self-referential. The village where I’m based and where I have a rent-free parental home is very small, and every time I go back it’s a bit like, OK, what mad plan do I have to concoct to get myself out of it this time?"

Lastly, if you could imbue a magical ring with your essence, what powers would it confer on its wearer?

B: "I think, playing with the theme of my show, it would have to convey psychic abilities. The ability to read people and get a feeling for situations – a bit of precognition, a bit of empathy."  

C: "It would just imbue the wearer with sardonic, sarcastic cynicism: a very dry, British attitude of just not tolerating other people and being a bit of a wind-up merchant."

The Hummingbird Effect, The Lab, 24 & 28 Feb, 9pm, $29-33 Supernova, RAJOPLIS, 20 Feb-4 Mar (not Mondays), 9.30pm, $16-22