Jacob Nash’s designs feature in Bangarra Dance Theatre’s latest production, Patyegarang. Image courtesy Bangarra Dance Theatre.
In Patyegarang, Bangarra Dance Theatre Designer Jacob Nash has drawn from his own senses to communicate a ‘sense’ of story and landscape on stage.
‘You begin to look at the land differently. I’ve tried to change my outlook on country, on Sydney, to kind of get my eyes to be looking through the land of this artist named Patyegarang, which is great.
‘You start to strip back the city. You start to strip back 250 years of colonisation and start to imagine the landscape of Sydney before white settlement,’ he said.
Opening 12 June at Sydney Opera House and followed by a national tour, Patyegarang marks the 25th anniversary of the company and the first time that Bangarra has told a ‘Sydney’ story to audiences in a full length work.
Nash said the design of the show was reflective of an emotional response to the land. ‘Because I travel across and through Sydney every day, I have to go deep inside – not just what I see in front of me, not just the beauty of the Harbour – to find an emotional response that means something to me, but also is right with the story.’
As with other members of the production team, Nash said he has referenced rediscovered diaries by colonial explorer William Dawes to develop the style and aesthetics of the design.
‘We’ve only got three diaries … Within the subtext I’ve got to find a landscape that can hold their stories. I’ve tried to find a visual and emotional response to Sydney Harbour and the surrounding land, the cliffs, the sand, the water. One of the most beautiful aspects of Sydney, working on the Harbour – on Walsh Bay – is that it’s always changing. It’s a very ephemeral space that I have created,’ he said.
With a lighting design by Nick Schlieper, music by David Page, costume design by Jennifer Irwin, and choreography by Bangarra’s Artistic Director Stephen Page, Nash said the collaborative energy among the artists working on the production has been extremely efficient and hands-on. ‘We’ve been able to find harmony so that the story can stand on its own,’ he explained.
‘There’s a great conversation that goes around all the creative team that keeps everything under the one roof, which I think is a really important element. The more conversations you can have around the concept with Stephen, the ideas get stronger but the visuals resonate more – they don’t compete. All the elements come together to tell a really strong story.’
The national tour of Patyegarang by Bangarra Dance Theatre opens at Sydney Opera House from 12 June, followed by seasons at Canberra Theatre Centre, the State Theatre Centre WA in Perth, Brisbane’s QPAC, and Arts Centre Melbourne.
For tickets and more information visit the Bangarra Theatre Company website.
