Theatre O's distinctive style pushes boundaries using, dance and comedy, mime and gesture, live and recorded music and sound. Their performances are minutely choreographed chaos, with even the most frenetic movement synchronized in perfect precision. The result is an exquisitely layered experience that combines the power of storytelling with the drama of theatre.
Based on a short story by Andrea Vales, Astronaut's eclectic soundtrack was co-jointly created by sound designer Gareth Fry and artistic director, Joseph Alford. The creative use of sound plays a major role in the world of Astronaut. By simultaneously using sound in both naturalistic and abstract ways, it allows the story to jump-cut through time and space.
Gareth Fry, commented: "I spent six weeks in rehearsal with the company so that we could develop the show together. By weaving the sound into this piece, it takes on a dimension of its own, almost like another performer on stage. I find shows like Astronaut infinitely more rewarding to watch (and to work on) than traditional forms of theatre. It actively engages the audience in a similar way to the leaps of imagination that we are asked to make by Chris Morris in Jam or by the League of Gentlemen. Orbital Sound is also very keen to encourage this genre of theatre and provided the equipment needed to realize such a complex sound world."
The advanced sound design combined an intricate fusion of over 300 cues in 90 minutes. Created using Apple's Logic Pro software, each sound effect has been individually tailored, radically changed and often layered to fit the show. The effects were developed in rehearsals, evolving in direct response to the actors' needs, providing a vehicle through which they could create a scene.
The heart of the system, supplied by Orbital, is Stage Research's SFX software, which runs all the effects and music tracks. As a contemporary alternative to traditional playback equipment, it boasts automated facilities that increase control, enhance operation and maximize creative potential. Orbital has been recently appointed by SFX's creators, Stage Research, to be an authorized UK SFX dealer supplying systems for sale and rental including class leading PC Audio Workstations of its own design.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
