Date: In development, first iteration December 27th 2023- January 1st 2024
Role: Producer, Artistic Director, Writer
Partners: Folly Games, Woodfordia Inc.
Description: In the 14th century a war raged between Fae creatures and human kind. After a fierce battle in London 1381, the Fae closed the veil between worlds severing contact with the human world.
Recently the Fae have learned of our rapidly evolving technology, they fear we may soon develop the ability to open the veil ourselves. To head off this potential disaster the Fae have opened an embassy, in the hopes of making peace.
This immersive interactive performance is set in the heart of Woodford Folk Festival. Meet the Fae, gain their trust, perform rites with them, and await the arrival of the Queen of the Little Fae. Each night the Fae council debate the future of human Fae relations, with a lot of singing and dancing, as is the way of the Fae.
Interactivity: The Fae are are little suspicious of humans, their trust is not so easily gained. While this can make first contact a little challenging we have two Faeleontologists at hand to explain the process. The Fae engage in simple physical play at first, mimicking movements, exchanging dance moves, passes invisible energy around, hiding, peaking. After a connection has been established they will select a few special participants to take part in a rite. This rite involves learning about Fae culture and performing a tasks for the Fae. This can be making a promise, caring for an origami beetle for a day, creating a dance, or performing a ritual. Once the rite is complete the participant receives a token of friendship. For this iteration this was a round of wood with a burned symbol on it and a hole so it could be worn.
Immersion: The set was a series of hexagonal spaces separated by flowing white veils of fabric. This allowed to catch glimpses of the activity happening throughout the set, while also creating semi-private spaces for the performance of rites.
There are disco balls because the Fae like disco, I mean, of course they do.
The Show: The space was open from 4pm to 7:30pm. From 4-6pm roving performers were scattered throughout the space. There were 9 Fae creatures and 2 Faleontologists. At 6pm the Queen and her council emerged and performed a 30 minute performance where the fate of human Fae relations was discussed. There were 8 performers in this show who all sang beautiful harmonies.
The Process: I had been writing the backstory on and off for many years which provided a base for the creation of the show. The interactive elements were developed over several meetings with Gianni Tills and myself, and through 12 rehearsals with the roving cast. The show was created in a two week development period in mid November, we then had five rehearsals with the stage cast. The stage, costumes, and props were predominantly made during a two week build period on site with a largely volunteer crew.
The project was funded by Festivals Australia. This covered our materials and some of the time for the leadership team. The vast majority of the crew were volunteers.
| THE FAE EMBASSY | |
| Artistic Director, Producer | Tim Monley |
| Associate Producer, Production Manager | Willem Whitfield |
| Woodfordia Producer | Jenna Koda |
| COSTUMES DEPARTMENT | |
| Costume Designer | Alice de Groot |
| Lead Costume Maker | Leah Fitzgerald-Quinn |
| Costume Makers | Drew Thompson |
| Frances Foo | |
| Georgia Powell | |
| Gypsy Hunter | |
| Harmony Barath | |
| Laura Bowden | |
| Mara Mackinney | |
| Sally Dennis | |
| Willow Miles | |
| Zoe Gray | |
| PROPS DEPARTMENT | |
| Lead Prop Maker | Nayana Kiernan |
| Prop Makers | Jay Davidson |
| Sari Walker-Woods | |
| Shayley Bennett-Stone | |
| Robert Hunter | |
| SET DEPARTMENT | |
| Lead Set Builder | Vajra Papp |
| Metal Fabricator | Remo Vallance |
| Set Builders | Ezequiel Roses |
| Henry Taylor | |
| Honey Kassell | |
| John Keegan | |
| Jordan Austin | |
| Lauren Oreilly | |
| Sam Jeboult | |
| Patrick Dunbar | |
| Zak Levy | |
| Pack Down Manager | Sophie Wilksch |
| INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY | |
| Lead Technologist | Harley Jarret |
| Technologists | Patric Luc |
| Rhiannon Wilson | |
| HAIR AND MAKE UP DEPARTMENT | |
| Lead HMU | Chaylor Abbott |
| Hair and Make up artists | Kira Woodgate |
| Maz Fargo | |
| Milla Fargo | |
| VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY | |
| Videographer | Paul Daley |
| Photographer | Ned Martin |
| Sketch Artist | Mally Ryall |
| PUZZLE DEPARTMENT | |
| Puzzle Designer | Katrina Couzens |
| Puzzle Maker | Mally Ryall |
| Volunteers Care | G Weddell |
| Volunteers Care | Corey Hartas |
| THE BETWEEN – Stage performance | |
| Director, writer | Natano Fa’anana |
| Writer | Tim Monley |
| Musical Director | Lucinda Shaw |
| Stage Manager | Riley Camejo |
| CAST | |
| Queen of the Little Fae | James Halloran |
| Seangan – Ant | Josh Nixon |
| Fetch Quest – Raven | Kate Hudson-James |
| Miotas | Lucinda Shaw |
| Cuil – Dragonfly | Marisa Bucolo |
| Magairlin – Mantis | Michelle Roberts |
| Leamhan – Moth | Tea Molnar |
| Stary McStareface – Raven | Tenille West |
| GUEST PERFORMERS | |
| Dancer | Janna Guy |
| Acrobat | Jesse Scott |
| Acrobat | Lachlan McAulay |
| COME AWAY WITH THE FAE – Interactive performance | |
| Interactivity Director | Gianni Tills |
| Sound Designer | Adam Mcnamara |
| Stage Manager | Meg Cohen |
| CAST | |
| Beacha – The Bee | Abi Nettle |
| Roiste – The Cockroach | Elizabeth Sweeney |
| Dreolin – The Grasshopper | Fen Carter |
| Ealaigh – Faleontologist | Joshua Knights |
| Lutalai – Faleontologist | Liam Sweeney |
| Damhan Alla – The Spider | Nathaniel Crossinggum |
| Bolb – The Caterpillar | Nick Wiggins |
| Ciarop – The Beetle | Rosie Woodrow Kyle |
| Seilide – The Snail | Tahlia Downs |
| Cipineach – The stick Insect | Tenielle Plunkett |
| THANK YOU | |
| Cluster Arts | |
| Project Immersive | |
| Casus Creations | |
| Brisbane Powerhouse | |
| Andy Graham | |
| Jinki Trevillian | |
| Leigh Walker | |
| Tanja Beer | |
| The many helpers who joined us from other departments during the build |
Tim Monley 