Experimental

  • Fringe Festival

I'm Ready To Talk Now

An experimental one-on-one piece exploring chronic illness and identity.

A completely dark room with a window in the center. The view is suburban - framing a wet wooden fence with a wall beyond, weathered white paint flaking, revealing the orangey red bricks beneath. A figure stands in silhouette, and we can just make out his medium length dark wavy hair and the texture on the back of the corduroy shirt he wears. On the windowsill, in the left corner, is an empty white paper cup, next to a palm-sized nautilus-like seashell.
A man sits in a chair with his back facing the camera. He is wearing a white singlet. The space is dark, save for a single strong light emanating from his left side, illuminating his shock of wavy, messy hair, the silver chain on his neck glinting. In front of him is a window-sized piece of semi-transparent fabric, similar in texture to gauze, that is stretched on a white glossy metal frame. His head is bowed - the tone is somber and dramatic.
A man stands in the light of a projected image, his head bowed, his hands curled into loose fists and held near his face. He is white with a prominent nose, and dark wavy hair. The image of the projection is difficult to make out, but is of the exterior of a tall building at night with many illuminated yellow windows. The feeling that comes across is one of anticipation, and he looks as if he is hiding from the light.
Past Event

Image Credit: Iz Zettl

A completely dark room with a window in the center. The view is suburban - framing a wet wooden fence with a wall beyond, weathered white paint flaking, revealing the orangey red bricks beneath. A figure stands in silhouette, and we can just make out his medium length dark wavy hair and the texture on the back of the corduroy shirt he wears. On the windowsill, in the left corner, is an empty white paper cup, next to a palm-sized nautilus-like seashell.
A man sits in a chair with his back facing the camera. He is wearing a white singlet. The space is dark, save for a single strong light emanating from his left side, illuminating his shock of wavy, messy hair, the silver chain on his neck glinting. In front of him is a window-sized piece of semi-transparent fabric, similar in texture to gauze, that is stretched on a white glossy metal frame. His head is bowed - the tone is somber and dramatic.
A man stands in the light of a projected image, his head bowed, his hands curled into loose fists and held near his face. He is white with a prominent nose, and dark wavy hair. The image of the projection is difficult to make out, but is of the exterior of a tall building at night with many illuminated yellow windows. The feeling that comes across is one of anticipation, and he looks as if he is hiding from the light.

  • Created and Performed by: Oliver Ayres

  • Produced by: SKINT

  • Design by: Iz Zettl & Rachel Stone

After a nomination for Best Experimental work following his sold-out season at last year's Melbourrne Fringe, Oliver Ayres returns with his solo performance art piece 'I'm Ready To Talk Now'.

Set inside of a hospital room, audiences experience the work one at a time, alone with the artist, as he tells the story of being diagnosed with a rare, severe and chronic immune condition - in his very first year of starting testosterone.

Through music, projection, and physical theatre, this radical act of connection blurs the lines between audience and performer, theatre and installation art, and stands boldly outside of ordinary theatrical conventions. With access as its core guiding principle, each performance can be spontaneously altered: offering relaxed performances, tactile tours, audio description and closed captions on demand.
Audience members can leave the space at any time.

The development of this season was proudly supported by the Darebin City Council's FUSE Fund Program.

oliverayres.com.au