In Heist’s “Frequencies,” Aaron Collier takes us on a journey that combines techno music, philosophy and deep interrogations of space and time. This live-streamed performance exceeded my expectations on all levels. I had not attended a theatre production for almost a year before “Frequencies,” and it came as a timely reminder of all the wonderful ways in which theatre brings joy in our lives and pushes us intellectually.
Guys… we can still experience amazing theatre!
“Frequencies” is an autobiographical exploration of Collier’s identity, traumas, and passions. We watch Collier through the VR headset that Sylvia Bell wears. He mans a turntable at times and at others he is part of richly saturated animated landscapes. We learn about Collier’s childhood on Prince Edward Island and his efforts to know the brother he lost before he was born. Collier paints a multi-dimensional picture of his childhood and teenage years that were plagued by vivid and mysterious dreams.
We are led into the recesses of Collier’s mind thanks to the use of VR. This is as intimate as you can get with a performer on stage. Collier shows us what living with trauma is like and how it informs his creativity on a cerebral level. We experience, first hand, his love for music, and the weight of his survivor’s guilt, as well as the confusion surrounding his sexuality and introversion. By the end of the show we emerge having truly understood Collier. I would argue that this digital/VR/animation format is responsible for the depth that we as an audience are allowed to reach when understanding Collier’s fears, hopes, and dreams.
Could this show be recorded and viewed as a film? Perhaps. But I genuinely believe its live-stream element adds an immediacy and connection to the storytelling that a recording could not necessarily deliver. The live format of the show creates vulnerability on Collier and the crew’s part and I felt the buzz and excitement that staged productions offer from hundreds of miles away. The digital and live streaming formats elevate Collier’s story. I strongly feel that had the show been staged traditionally it would have lost a significant chunk of connectivity and intimacy with the audience.
Collier is an exceptional musician. As a (baby) fan of techno music I loved every composition he served us. The music was expressive and gentle when it needed to be and dropped you into the middle of a rave at 4am when shit got real. Collier mixes music live and doesn’t miss a beat. Physics lovers will be in for a treat as Collier translates time periods and colours into sound. Don’t ask me how, but when he explains it, it all makes perfect sense. He makes you feel so smart! The visuals are similarly impressive. The animation is creative and has a cool 90s vibe. It’s going for that rough around the edges, role playing game quality that disintegrates into pixels to denote crises. The landscapes generated include textbook views of the solar system, lush green forests, a cosy bedroom closet, a river, an LSD trip inspired room and many many others.
The star of the show is its beautifully researched and profound narrative dialogue. Collier collaborates with the incredibly talented “Butter Honey Pig Bread” writer, Francesca Ekwuyasi, and multi-disciplinary artist and musician Stuart Legere, to create a narrative that is so smart and so beautiful it will charm your socks off. This narrative exists at the intersections of science, music and poetry. Good things are happening in Halifax, folks. Look East!
I could keep writing but I need to push this review out to you so that you can catch the second show that is playing at 4PM PT today. I implore you to not miss “Frequencies”. Let yourself remember how good theatre used to be and realise that it’s still available to us now. That like Collier performing by himself in a room alone, we too have the capacity to create beauty and happiness in our solitude.
Get your tickets here!
– Prachi Kamble