Femmural are currently staging Dredge at Theatre Works, a stage production where the story is not so much conveyed through speech, but rather dance, movement and simple utterances. I attended opening night on Thursday 19th September.

When you enter the theatre room, the first observation is the ensemble of human organisms resting on stage around some kind of central altar like pool. As the performance begins, the organisms begin to wake up and begin to move around the central pool. There is a sense from the outset that these organisms are only semi autonomous as their environment guides them through space.

Simple at first, they begin to take on more complex and communal behaviours. This transition mirrors the shift from single-celled to multicellular organisms, as they begin to exhibit more complex, cooperative behaviours. This first act ends with the organisms stretching towards the heavens.  From a narrative standpoint, this is the highwater mark of positivity for Dredge.

The unseen/external forces then change the environment and we begin to see the organisms’ society evolve to our current/modern day influencer type situation. This is where actual words are employed, but only as short utterances to accompany the mannerisms that imply some of the more crass yet high-net value aspirations some might have.

Dredge’s third act is the implied logical conclusion of this where organisms are just grinding out an existence through sheer exertion, i.e. running in the same spot. The implication of futility needs to be realised by the organisms before they can be free.

Dredge is not a standard play, but rather one told through dance. It’s a critique on modernity and evolution, but one where you are invited to observe these behaviours from an external, almost anthropological perspective, as if viewing modern society through an unfamiliar lens. It reminds me of that song Prisencolinensinainciusol which was written by an Italian comedian trying to mimic what an American song might sound like without actually being one. 

Apart from the actual performers on stage, what makes this play work is the lighting, sound and set design which all harmonise well. Overall, I thought the hour-long production managed to capture an odd essence of modernity in a fresh and ingenious manner and I would recommend Dredge to people looking for something a little different.

https://www.theatreworks.org.au/2024/dredge