Promotional poster (Sourced from the Adelaide Fringe website)
Overall rating: ★★★★★
Date attended: 04/03/2018
When one thinks of the Adelaide Fringe, you may not think of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre as a Fringe venue. And yet, it is one of the most unique and incredible spots to enjoy a truly original piece of musical work!
This is one of the shows that I've been looking forward to all Fringe season, so when the day came, I was pleased to see that
Wet Sounds was exactly what I envisioned it to be - relaxing, exhilarating, and unbelievable!
Once we checked into the Centre, we were provided with a neon-coloured wristband and were escorted to the swimming pool area. It was a fairly relaxed show, with people dressed up from swimwear to diving suits - one even showed up with a tank that scuba divers use (now, that's dedication)!
Jumping into the warm waters of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre Diving Pool, I instantly felt the stresses from my life lift up and float far, far away from me as the feeling of weightlessness took over. The pool was equipped with special speaker equipment, which proved to be "
sonically promising" for everyone involved!
Throughout the 45 minute 'show', participants were treated to a mix of soothing and thrilling sounds - both above the water as well as underwater. Every time I went underwater, my mind, body, and soul seemed to find a sense of peace and tranquillity. It was also soothing to see how the sounds were balanced in ways where they either blended together or presented with opposite spectrums of sound, depending on what side of the water you were on! For example, while there was electrifying music playing above water, you'd find yourself achieving a close state of peace and quiet to the sound of fishes, dolphins, and whales swimming underwater!
The sounds underwater were more soothing, more relaxing, and almost therapeutic and I would highly recommend that you try and stay underwater for as long as you can. Step it up You can almost find yourself in an invisible and impenetrable bubble, where calmness triumphs over everything else.
While I was a bit disheartened at not having goggles, it was interesting to see the underwater performances from atop the surface - your imagination is welcomed to run wild upon witnessing the weird yet wonderful activities happening at the base of the pool! There were no dull moments whatsoever, as the light display occurring above further added to the thrill of this truly unique and creative show.
The pool itself is quite massive, so there was plenty to explore and experience! Your senses are heightened to the point where every single movement in the water - either by yourself, by others, or even by the sounds - unlocks the more adventurous side of you with each splash! This resonates perfectly with what show creator and composer Joel Cahen once explained the experience as being "
very womb-like".
While the show may have sold out for the season this year at Adelaide Fringe, we are already awaiting their return in 2018 for more harmonious times beyond what the mind can comprehend! To say we had an immersively spectacular time underwater would be a huge understatement - I cannot recommend this show enough to those who are lovers of swimming and all things water-based!
