Interview: Anya Anastasia on The Executioners

Celebrating her tenth year at Adelaide Fringe, Anya Anastasia returns to the festival with her hit show The Executioners.

In collaboration with Gareth Chin, The Executioners delves into the world as we know it today. It's a satire which reflects the environmental and technological influences on our lives. Everybody wants to save the world: but what are we achieving posting statuses and attending environmental events through clicks? The show interrogates the power of the individual to promote change and the ways in which some changes have become a fad.

While this is both confronting and cynical, the audience may question their actions and how to keep the conversation going. "It may feel like there are only little things that we can do," says Anastasia. "But the momentum of public will does have a lot of weight."

The ideas were intrinsic to the show and so was the music. "It's a wonderful big loud concert with really potent ideas and exciting contemporary visual features," she says. "I don’t want people to feel too confronted by it, I want you to come and enjoy the music that's been created by two very socially aware individuals."

Different from much of her previous work, The Executioners explores the digital world through story, visuals, and music. The original music was made to reflect the ideas and concepts explored. Music from acoustic numbers through to techno pieces accompany the raging fight scene between Anastasia and Chin's characters.

The dynamic between her and Chin is something Anastasia describes as "the gift that just keeps giving". And it has been constantly evolving throughout their time touring the show. The chemistry between performers and the urgency of ideas portrayed hold their own.

Adelaide is known for embracing new and adventurous ideas and we've come to expect that from our local entertainers. Anastasia, who also brings her latest work The Show to Adelaide, certainly takes advantage of this using her stage as a way to experiment with her art and her message.