A non-verbal reimagining of Jean Paul Sartre’s ‘No Exit’
9-27 May 2023 - The Blue Room Theatre, Perth, Western Australia
Development supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries.
Blue Room Award Winner: Outstanding Individual Performance (Timothy Green)
Blue Room Award Winner: Outstanding Direction or Choreography
Blue Room Award Winner: Backstage Award - All Rounder (Yvan Karlsson)
OFFIE-nominated movement director Yvan Karlsson leads a group of Boorloo’s rising theatrical talent in this bold, non-verbal, reimagining of Jean Paul Sartre’s existentialist play ‘No Exit/Huis Clos’, that will change your perception of what physical theatre can be.
This absurd and mysterious offering will have audiences on the edge of their seats as they are transported into the classically mundane experience of being in a waiting room. However, this waiting room offers lip-synced dance numbers by the devil, awkward and hilarious movement sequences, and a timeless consideration of consciousness, existence and nothingness. Intrigued? Take a ticket and sit down, your number’s next!
Hell Is Other People is an accessible venture into dark humour - think Mr Bean meets Twin Peaks. It toys with the concept of the institution, mocking the systems we hold dear, while exploring the lightness of everyday human interaction and discomfort.
This sleek production from Monkey Brain centres the skills of lead creative Yvan Karlsson, who is known for creating evocative pictures and visually dynamic performances. With movement direction described as “breath-taking” by London Grip, Karlsson’s first full-length work at Perth’s finest independent arts hub The Blue Room Theatre is sure to captivate audiences regardless of their exposure or experience with physical theatre.
“This kind of physical theatre allows us to disconnect from the intellectual side of our brains and access the emotional side. It means we can all enjoy it, regardless of what language we speak.”
- Yvan Karlsson, Director
Performers:
Tim Green, Lucy Wong, Kimberly Parkin and Nathan Di Giovanni
Director/Concept: Yvan Karlsson
Producer: Ellen-Hope Thomson
Lighting Designer: Matthew Erren
Sound Designer: Ella Portwine
Costume Designer: Rhiana Katz
Stage Manager: Holly Ballam
Dramaturg: Humphrey Bower
L-R: Nathan Di Giovanni, Tim Green, Lucy Wong & Kimberley Parkin.
REVIEWS
ARTSHUB: 4 1/2 STARS
“Monkey Brain director, Yvan Karlsson, has reimagined Jean-Paul Sartre’s one-act existentialist hellscape No Exit/Huis Clos as a series of exquisite movement sequences, turning a timeless philosophical examination into a wordless work of nuanced physical theatre.”
‘‘The self-referential, world-referential and highly subjective nature of this play does not require the audience to have any prior knowledge of its source material. Audiences of all philosophical persuasions will adore this ingenious gem.’
‘Brilliantly conceived and excellently executed, this is a production that will live in your mind rent free for the rest of your life.’
XPRESS MAG: 8/10
“…a bold, confident, and striking piece of physical theatre…”
“Hell is Other People at its core is a study of the human condition, from the absolute heartfelt to the most surreal. From the smallest grievances to the greatest passions, both positive and negative, all humanity’s raging emotions were up on stage at some point.”
“Hell is Other People was a delightful cross between the philosophical musings of The Good Place or Waiting for Godot, and the slapstick physicality of Chaplin or the Marx Brothers.”
SEESAW:
“The genius of this reimagining of Sartre’s 1944 existentialist play No Exit (from which the quote is drawn) is that it’s told entirely in movement. No words, aside from the occasional – and entertaining – lip-synched song breaks that frame and punctuate the action.”
“Hell is Other People is a risky work, because it requires a high level of commitment from its audience, not just to paying close attention, but to reading non-verbal communication. It’s not going to be for everyone.
But it’s also exhilarating to see Karlsson take this risk, and if you make the commitment you’ll reap the rewards.”
WEEKEND NOTES:
“Yvan Karlsson has transformed Jean Paul Sartre's one-act play into a dark comedy that uses no dialogue, physical movement, sound effects, shadow and light, and lip-synced dance numbers by the devil to tell a story about the human condition. It can be difficult to tell a story without dialogue, but Karlsson pulls it off. He manages to build so much tension on the stage without the actors uttering a single word.”
STAGE WHISPERS:
“The commitment of the performers is exceptional, and the four performers create an excellent ensemble. Nathan Di Giovanni plays The Worker, drawn from the character The Valet, and both observes and crosses into the world of those waiting, with wry amusement. Tim Green (Sam), Lucy Wong (Marty) and Kimberley Parkin (Gia) work beautifully with and against each other, in performances that would be difficult to fault.”
