Theatre Review: Floor Thirteen is Con-fabulous
Presented by Marshall Stay, Floor Thirteen is a stylised mystery that will keep you engaged for the entire hour. Performed in the round, Floor Thirteen explores the tension between reality and memory, asking questions of how reliable our recollections really are. “Confabulation” is the term used to describe this phenomenon, and the unreliable narrator trope is utilised in a way I have never seen in theatre before.
Phoebe is heading back to her apartment after a wild night, when everyone’s worst nightmare is realised- the elevator gets stuck. As she panics, she relates her night to the repairman on the other end. While she narrates, four performers mime her story around her with highly stylised actions. As the drama unfolds, the mystery of exactly what really happened gets hazier and hazier, and our expectations are challenged.
Everything about Floor Thirteen has been exceptionally realised. The performance space was creatively decked out, with cutting-edge use of lighting and sound throughout. The performances of Tamara Creasey, Courtney Henri, Christopher Moro and Jordan Valentini are highly disciplined and stunning to behold as they move between mechanical and fluid motion with ease. The script by Elise Wilson is well-paced, unfurling gradually to keep audiences switched on and guessing the entire time. Meanwhile, Kylie Bywaters is brilliant as the frantic and complicated Phoebe.
Floor Thirteen demonstrates the abundance of creative talent in the Perth theatre scene right now. If you’re looking for a rewarding night, look no further.
