After a slight date shift, courtesy of Cyclone Alfred, Australasian Dance Collective enjoyed its short, three-performance season of Relic over the weekend. Conceived and directed by Jack Lister, also the Associate Artistic Director of ADC, Relic is the first work to kick off ADC’s 40th anniversary year.
Australasian Dance Collective’s Relic is a daring, boundary-pushing fusion of dance, visual art, and raw physicality. A reimagining of Jack Lister’s award-winning Still Life film trilogy, this site-specific work transformed the imposing UAP Foundry in Northgate into an immersive theatrical experience.
Blurring the lines between movement and sculpture, Relic explores themes of mortality, fragility, youth, and spirit. Drawing inspiration from 16th and 17th-century still life paintings and the memento mori tradition, it reinterprets these age-old concepts through the rebellious energy of motocross.
Relic is the third and final piece from Jack Lister commissioned by ADC, all drawing from the same artistic inspirations. The Still Life project as it is known, has featured a triptych of films, premiering in 2020 and still touring the world at film festivals. This was followed by a proscenium stage performance of Still Life which debuted in 2021 at QPAC (as part of Three). As the final iteration, Relic embodies ADC’s commitment to reimagining spaces and forging imaginative partnerships.
The waiting area was a hive of energy and anticipation, and it was refreshing to see so many young people eager to experience live theatre. These are the types of shows the young people are flocking to. Creatives, take note. ADC’s Artistic Director and CEO Amy Hollingsworth gave an eloquent introduction. Without further ado, we made our way into the space.
The work was designed to give audience autonomy, and as the large crowd shuffled into the space, there was some initial hesitancy about what to do and where to go. We opted to start moving through the space in a clockwise direction, taking it as a good sign that Hollingsworth did too. We figured she knew where the best spot was to view the work! The Foundry was kept in very low light, almost total darkness. It wasn’t long before my plus one and I completely lost each other in the herd. No matter.
The space was designed with three staging areas. There was one at each end of the room and one on a slightly elevated platform in the centre. This one was covered in an ethereal sheet of pale plastic that slowly spilt apart to enable the dancers to be seen. The central space offered the best 360-degree views of the dancers.
As the one-hour work progressed, the crowd began to intuit the space and anticipate the shifts in performance. At first, I missed a few of the group segments due to poor visibility. But I became adept at slipping through the masses and planting myself on the floor in the front row, as many did to enable others to see behind us. Thank goodness I wore a brown skirt.
This uncertainty of where the performers would move next, backed by the haunting soundscape designed by Louis Frere-Harvey, elevated the drama. Watching audience members react to the art became very much a part of the experience. There were a lot of serious expressions, especially during Lilly King’s dramatic solo segment on the central platform. This saw her get right up in their faces. One or two couldn’t cope. I was smiling. This was awesome.
As a dance lover and a fan of Lister’s previous work, I was there for the movement. I craved more of it. The six Company members were intoxicating to watch, offering a unique chance to see them up close. It was brutally hot day in Brisbane, and the heat lingered into the night. I felt for the dancers, wearing black motocross inspired long pants and (for some) jackets, gloves and helmets. Costumes were designed by Lily Potger in collaboration with Lister.
Accompanying Lister and Potger in the cast were the aforementioned Lilly King, alongside Sam Hall, Taiga Kita-Long and Georgia Van Gils. They worked together seamlessly. Moving in a raw, mesmeric and athletic way, they twisted, writhed, and lifted each other.
A dramatic moment occurred when Opera Queensland soprano, Leanne Kenneally, emerged from the shadows, her voice as haunting as her silhouette. This was a clever integration of art forms and it worked really well. It was a surprise addition, especially for me as I was completely unaware of her involvement. Sometimes it’s better to go into these things as a blank canvas.
Lighting and sound was realised by Krank’d and offered eerie amber spotlights and cool white strip lights. The colour palette was mostly monochromatic, extending to the huge racing flags that were whipped through the air in menacing strokes.
Australasian Dance Collective is always ahead of the game, creating bold, dynamic work that flips tradition on its head. Their full throttle approach to Relic was no exception. ADC’s fearless innovation combined with their striking physicality makes them one of the most exciting forces in dance. While the season of Relic has now ended, their next performance, Blue, is just on the horizon. With a short season in May at QPAC, I dare you to rev your engines and take the jump.
Australasian Dance Collective’s season of Relic ran from 28 – 30 March at UAP Foundry, Northgate. The season has now ended.
Their upcoming season of Blue runs from 14 – 17 May at Playhouse, QPAC.
Tickets: https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/2025/australasian-dance-collective-blue
Website: https://australasiandancecollective.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/australasiandancecollective/
Photo credits: David Kelly
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