Exodus was the winner of the 2022 Horizon Festival Anywhere Award.
Moving, engaging, emotional, inspirational!
2021 Audience member
Inspired by the stories of local migrants, Exodus is a collectively-devised contemporary physical theatre performance that focuses on real and metaphorical migrations and raises the question: what unites people who decide to leave their native land?
From mass migrations of people to the bewilderment experienced by a new immigrant arriving in a new territory, the show is performed in different languages and depicts characters who leave physical and imaginary lands and reunite in the poetic sphere.
Exodus revisits episodes in the history of migration in Australia, questions the meaning of the exodus and examines the dreams of those who undertake the transit journey.
D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective has gathered a team of highly skilled multicultural performing artists to devise at the show, based on research and conversations with our local migrant network.
Mirroring the experience of contemporary nomads, the dramatic structure of Exodus is fragmented, in short, concise scenes. It is also an artistic response to the shaping of the national territory in our era of hurried dislocation and impermanent fixation, in which there is a perception of the individual not belonging anywhere, the feeling of being forgotten on Earth.
Seeing migrant stories told by migrants or their direct descendants in a way that services us rather than Anglo-Australia was a near spiritual experience. One enhanced by the echoing of the performers’ voices off the cityscape behind us and the sight of the ocean unfolding before us. A number of audience members, myself included, became emotional to the point of tears at this display of untainted truth-telling.
Review by Tristan Niemi
EXODUS was performed at Cotton Tree Park, Maroochydore, QLD on 7, 14, 15, 21, 22 May 2021.
Director: Cesar Genaro
Performing Artists: Tamara Lea Collins, Lucia Perea Castillo, Ella Riley.
Producer: Priscila Da Cunha
Exodus review by Tristan Niemi.
Exodus interview by Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane.
It brought my feelings into words. It was very emotional.
2021 Audience member & local migrant
