This Fringe season, do yourself a favour and get your hands on tickets to see WHAT IF: a theatrical piece combining music, acting, singing and dancing that looks into the life of one inquisitive girl called Maya.
We recently caught up with talented creative producer, director and also leading actress/singer Mahalia Barr-Mashei to get a little insight into WHAT IF and what to expect from this mysterious, musically-oriented new Fringe show. We know the trailer certainly had us curious!
Hey Mahalia, thanks for catching up with us! What inspired you to write WHAT IF for this year’s Adelaide Fringe Festival?
I wanted to create something different, something original and daring that was based on an idea sparked by a personal experience.
One day, when I was traveling through Portugal – one of the most beautiful countries I have been to – I had a very strange out-of-body experience which sparked what you could call a sense of something greater than just me in this world.
This opened up my thought processes of alternate realities and alternative self. It has since taken form and evolved into this really “out there” concept that is now a stage show!
What should the audience expect from the show?
You can expect to be entertained and moved. It’s fast paced and it does not drag in any sense. For me being part of this show, it feels 5 minutes long, but it’s actually just under 60 minutes.
This isn’t a show I have created that belongs to one genre, it is cross genre and has a variety of emotions. There are some beautiful moments, some sad moments and moments where you just pause and reflect. My intention is to definitely leave the audience left with their own interpretation of the ending and view on Maya’s experience.
One day, when I was traveling through Portugal … I had a very strange out-of-body experience which sparked what you could call a sense of something greater than just me in this world.
How do you relate to your leading character and also the character you play, Maya?
I have a love-hate relationship with Maya. I love her because I can relate to her intensive level of abstract and thought provoking ways. I have empathy for her past hardship, and find myself easily being able to translate her sometimes stubborn mind (sometimes). But I do love her!
And what can you tell us about the rest of your talented cast?
I had a selection criteria that I was looking for. For dancers, it was very much based on creative interpretation of choreography and emotion, how I felt their faces and eyes connected to my intention of the concept of the show. Originally, I had planned to have just two dancers but, when it came down to it, I could not resist taking on board three dancers Felicity Boyd, Larissa Simpson and Mieke Kriegesvelt as they all truly embodied what I was looking for.
I just knew when I met the lead characters, Kelly O’Brien and William Mellor that they were it. They have a great friendship now off stage, so the connection translates very well on stage.
You can use special discount code ‘WHATIF10’ to purchase tickets to see Mahalia’s show; follow the link here and enter in the promotional code to get your hands on some!
