'Best to be like water which nourishes all things without trying.'
Tao De Ching
Why 'Water'?
It is impossible to talk about water without discussing the
politics surrounding the word. Making Water, we looked
into global warming, polar ice-caps, flooding, water-related
conflicts and the scarcity of fresh drinking water in the world.
Yet the desire to make a piece of theatre about water did not
originate in politics. Instead, it originated from our shared
childhood memories. We connected the power of water to our own
lives: tears, the ocean, fishing and toy boats. When we then looked
into the science of water, we saw the beauty and complexity of the
water molecule and found parallels with the complex nature of human
relationships.
Peter: Most molecules work through repulsion; but not water. Water is sociable molecule, it loves to mingle.
Eventually we arrived at two intercutting stories, where the personal stands side by side with the global; characters that connect and disconnect, revealing the tug of war that exists between siblings and between their parents, over two generations, and two continents.
What is Filter?
Filter Theatre Company aims to expose the workings of a production,
so that the process is inextricably linked to the performance and
the writing. Actor, musician, video artist and stage manager are
often visible to the audience. In this way we endeavour to forge a
dynamic relationship between the artist and the audience, revelling
in the immediacy of each moment, and letting imaginations run wild.
Since we founded Filter in 2001, we've been fortunate to work with
some
amazing artists whose individual influences have all helped develop
the truly creative, shared devising language that remains the core
of the company ethos. The birth of Filter may have come from a few
people, but its realisation has been nurtured by many.
Ollie, Ferdy and Tim
Artistic Directors of Filter Theatre
Water, Sydney Theatre, 12-23 September, 2012.