Members of a Melbourne physical theatre ensemble, Born in a Taxi (BIAT), will bring a series of roving performances to WOMADelaide next weekend, a festival known for its immersive and unexpected artistic encounters. The troupe, which has been performing for over three decades, recalls a past where their unconventional street performances sometimes drew unwanted attention, including physical altercations and confrontations with the public.
In the 1990s, BIAT performers were occasionally “punched while pretending to be statues,” chased by teenagers, and found themselves escaping crowds leaving New Zealand rugby games, according to the ensemble. They attribute these incidents to a time when street performance, particularly non-verbal and abstract forms, was less accepted than it is today. Co-artistic directors Penny Baron and Carolyn Hanna stated that perceptions have evolved alongside their art form.
“Roving performance catches audiences unawares. It creates an in-breath and a moment to feel moved, amused, surprised, delighted or even outraged,” Baron and Hanna said. “Our experience over 30 years of working in this way around the world is that we never stop being surprised by people and how they respond.”
BIAT’s WOMADelaide performances will feature a diverse range of characters and scenarios, including a travelling bed on wheels, a “dazzle of zebras,” and a trio of “seriously stupid security guards” who transform crowd control into performance art. The ensemble as well promises “high priestesses of ritual” offering “rituals of the senses” and a group of “fashionistas out to party like the end is nigh.”
According to the Australian Performing Arts Market, BIAT is recognized for producing original, visual, and participatory works in various settings, mixing dance with humour and the familiar with the unexpected. The company’s co-artistic directors, Baron and Hanna, share a focus on the relationship between performer and audience, utilizing dance, theatre, live art, visual art, improvisation, and sound in their work.
Botanic Park, the venue for WOMADelaide, has a history of hosting roving performances. Past festivals have featured giant puppets by Archibald Caramantran, explosive light displays by Artonik, illuminated Earth installations by Luke Jerram, and walking elephants created by Handspring Puppet Company. BIAT emphasizes the role of roving performance in connecting different elements of a festival.
“It bridges the spaces between main-stage events and stationary performance formats, bringing the unexpected and intimate to invigorate the imagination of weary parents, bored children, hunger queuers and chill-out zones,” BIAT said. “The entertainment comes to the audience, not the other way around.”
BIAT recalled a particularly memorable performance at the Oerol Festival in the Netherlands, where their improvisation led them into a private home. After entering a resident’s yard and knocking on their door, one performer was invited inside while the other was “locked out,” prompting a playful interaction with the homeowner and culminating in a comedic “ejection” that delighted the watching crowd.
Spanish street theatre group Osadía will also present roving performance at WOMADelaide, focusing on “artistic hair sculpting.” Their act, which originated with a concept called “Style it or Crop it,” invites audience members to either have their hair styled into elaborate creations or have it completely shaved off. Osadía’s Alejandro Rendon Pajon described the act as both aesthetic and psychological, offering participants a “thrill of visibility” and a moment of personal breakthrough.
BIAT’s artistic directors believe that roving performances are essential to the festival experience, adding “a certain joy and mystery” and creating the possibility of unexpected moments. They emphasize the importance of artists being able to respond to subtle cues from the audience, transforming the festival experience and creating a sense of magic.
WOMADelaide runs from March 6 to March 9, and is part of the broader Adelaide Festival, which begins on Friday.