Perth Fest Review: "The Far Side of the Moon" is a marvel

Robert Lepage's The Far Side of the Moon has the wow factor. The intense intimacy of a one man show paired with the grandiosity of the Heath Ledger Theatre on a Saturday night is a wonder to behold at this year's Perth Festival.

Its design is otherworldly and inspired, surely a breakthrough in the world of stagecraft, using mirrors, puppetry and harsh white light to construct the earth and beyond. Despite being able to deduce the set to a sum of its parts the effect on the audience evokes amazement and awe, as seamless transition between scenes ignite the place and move it into the magical realm that only exists in theatre. It allows the audience to take off while firmly seated on the ground, a feat that deserves the most high praise.

The show is as informative as it is exquisite to watch, with a script that aims to educate and explore the breadth of the race to space alongside the minute depth of interpersonal relationships. Sometimes too long and too realistic, the dialogue is eloquent and deeply touching. The monologues are without fault and the witty banter with the aloof bartender is a highlight of the piece.

While Yves Jacques' characters are binary opposites, he is able to gracefully embody the self detriment of one without detracting from the ego of the other. His acting is mesmerising and his delivery poetic, only missing the mark on a few occasions.

This is an interstellar human story, teaching that the path to reconciliation begins with one small step. It is a performance that will surely echo into the void for a long time to come.