THE BOOK OF DEATH
"The exposure Lui constructs as a theatrical device becomes... real and unsettling."
The Book of Death (2012) was my attempt at combining my love of theatre, performance and music into a Gesamtkunstwerk, which is a wanky way of saying "total work of art", which is a wanky way of saying that I tried to create a work which utilized everything i loved about art.
The work was about finding hope in the certainty of death - about rejecting nihilism as a consequence of being realistic about our mortality. Endings and life are renewing cycles (at least while the sun gives us power) - and as such, the work followed a spirit of song mustering the courage to sing, a couple in a relationship that had lost all its romance, and two performers struggling with their personal fears and demons.
Included in this series are stills from the work captured by Jessica Wylde at Jessica Wylde Photography, as well as demos of 2 of the 5 songs in the work, one featuring vocals and one not.
If anyone is interested in seeing video of the work please do get in touch - the work contains a healthy amount of nudity and as such isnt suited for the ol' embed.
My collaborators on this project were
Performers - Paul Grabovac, Ella Hetherington and Moana Lutton - who lent her explosive vocal talents to the musical portion of the work.
Designers - Sara Chirichilli (set and costume) and Shawn Ignatius Tan (visual)
And the magnificient Matt Marino as Stage Manager and Producer.
- Joe Lui (Writer/Director/Composer/Lighting Designer on the Book of Death)
Black Holes - Demo With Vocals
Life - Demo Without Vocals
"The scenes between Hetherington and Grabovac as their relationship founders are raw enough; we see the turf wars over the value of work and commitment, the explosions of rage over domestic minutia – whether the lettuce was washed, which plates to use. The mannered sex. I love you. I love you too.
But when Hetherington and Grabovac stand naked (you have been duly warned), as themselves, and matter-of-factly tell us their most intimate secrets, their worst fears, the exposure Lui constructs as a theatrical device becomes something more real and unsettling."
- The West Australian
