The Dream Laboratory - Essential Theatre

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Posted 2022-01-09 by Lesley Mitchell ⇒ follow

Wed 05 Jan 2022 - Sun 23 Jan 2022

Dream Laboratory, proudly presented by Essential Theatre & Bay 93.9, is now performing through to the 23rd of January in a hidden laneway in Geelong, offering shows at various dates at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Dream Laboratory is part theatre, part incredible art installation and part immersive experience. Not knowing what to expect, we queued outside and were branded with a vision stamp to allow entry into the laboratory.

I spoke to a few people in the queue as we were waiting to go in and asked "Do you have any idea what this is about?" The resounding answer was "absolutely no idea".

Now here's the tricky part about writing this review; by not knowing what was about to occur and then not really understanding what was occurring, as it unfolded around us, the experience was made all the more magical. Hence, as a writer, I need to advise you what this show is about, while simultaneously not explaining it, lest I diminish your experience in any way.

If you enjoy the surreal, abstract and avant-garde and love participatory immersive experiences, and are curious enough to discover things yourself, then I am sure you will enjoy The Dream Laboratory.

If you strongly dislike being pulled into the spotlight and called up on stage, with everybody looking at you, don't worry, this is not the situation. Rather you will explore on your own, with a friend or with an actor who will encourage you to see the magic.

You can participate as much or as little as you like, with a friend, a group, or simply on your own, discovering hidden delights. No matter which path you choose, you will find yourself in a labyrinth of magic and adventure. A place where reality and dreams collide.
At one point I became so lost in the experience, I felt like I was in a dream of my own, happy to float through the mist and just simply experience and be.

The actors will constantly encourage you to discover something new, be part of the show or just enjoy the art. I found myself exploring, creating, wishing and playing. I buried a secret and planted a wish and drifted through a Shakespearean Midsummer Night's Dream that I had somehow mysteriously become part of.

If the above sounds a little vague, my intention is to create a little mystery, so you can have your own experience of this unique show. However, the facts that I can share with you is that it is an immersive theatre show which is experienced as you move through the venue, whilst the story plays out around you.
The space that has been created and the original artwork that has been installed will have you thinking about it for days afterwards; the sheer magnitude of art by so many talented artists is quite inspiring!

If you allow your mind to float through the experience, you may well feel like you have been transported. You can follow characters or other guests into various rooms and spaces, if you so want to.

The choice is yours, you can play and interact as much as you would like to, or, if preferred, you can simply experience and watch from the sidelines. In my experience, not one of the 30 guests that shared my Dream Laboratory took this path. Within a short time, every one of them was experiencing, exploring and playing

Click here for tickets.

Click here for website.

Click here for their Facebook page.

Have you been or would you like to go and see The Dream Laboratory? We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences, please use the comments box at the bottom of this article to share with us and WeekendNotes readers.