Sydney Reviews

As a seasoned theatregoer, my expectations are high when I visit the Sydney Opera House. They curate shows for all ages, and their junior theatre choices, whether eccentric or conventional, are usually spectacular. I’ve had my mind blown, my breath taken, and everything in between. Perhaps it is this confidence that singed my experience of A Forest In the City.

The story that unfolds is about two artists with contrasting visions, one wants to build a city, enamoured with architecture and the shapes that create abodes; the other is desperate to draw grass, trees, and the vibrant living world around her. This initial narrative did set a hopeful stage that connects two worlds – a peace offering in the face of climate change and the conflict between humans and nature. However, we are then thrust into a digital world without a coherent story, told through uninspiring music and images that were unevolved. 

This multimedia immersive experience, with its constantly changing visuals and sounds aims to build connections and a narrative but misses the mark almost every time. The accent that introduces the world-building is North American, instantly creating an unfamiliar world—a place other than the land we stand on. I am all for diverse cultural experiences that connect humans to each other, but this accent made it feel generic and disconnected. I was lost as to where I was meant to be.

The two dancers who worked so hard to intertwine the threads of this story were amazing. Their physical storytelling was powerful, their bodies wove through the air and portrayed emotions that were lost in the rest of the show; drowned out by the brightly coloured screens behind them.

Towards the end of the show, there was a story about a factory built without thought for the land it was on. The birds were the first to leave, then the insects, and all that was left was a very sad and lonely tree. It was a sorrowful moment. Both myself and the patron next to me agreed that had this story been shared at the start of the performance it could have been a narrative device, a catalyst for change and hope. However, it was another missed opportunity.

This show is interactive, but not all children get to dance. Many were sent back to their seats, creating a sense of hierarchy. Disappointed little ones watched as other children danced for what felt like an age. Children were then sent back to their seats as others were hand picked. At the end, any child who had missed out was invited to play on the stage, but by then, the magic had worn off, and most just wanted to leave. An explanation would have helped audience members understand the process and dilute the sense of bias. 

The children who were allowed to dance on stage enjoyed their moments, but this disappointing theatrical experience is the exception, not the norm, for the magnificent Sydney Opera House.