Australian, Shaun Tan’s graphic novel, The Arrival tells of a young father with vaguely Eurasian features who leaves his home to create a better life for his family in a distant, but not strictly identifiable, land of opportunity.
By using various techniques such as photorealistic human figures in abstract and surreal environments and the use of architecture that is both historic and futuristic, Tan creates what the New York Times describes as ‘not an immigrant’s story, but the immigrant’s story.’
World respected percussionist, Ben Walsh, (also known to Adelaide audiences for his role in the highly praised Tom Tom Crew at the last Fringe) stumbled upon this great work of beauty, imagination and empathy when randomly in a bookshop and took upon the task of giving the story a life in sound.
With book images on the screen above the stage, using 11 pieces in his Orkestra of the Underground, Walsh delighted a packed Her Majesty’s Theatre on Sunday night. Not that they much saw his face at work as he conducted, played the drums and worked the computers for various additional sound effects with his back to them.
Works like this run the risk of either trivialising their originals or overwhelming them (such as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, especially once made saccharine sweet by Ravel) but here the music and drawings complement each other nicely. Given the continuing immigration debate in this country, it was also nice to immerse oneself in the immigrant’s own story and not the political images we have got too use to seeing.
Much a shame there was only one night of it for Adelaide audiences this year.
Kryztoff Rating – 4K
Recent Comments