Liminal Production’s “Lost and Finding” is one of those unique theatre experiences which peaked a sense of curiosity, right from the beginning. Unlike other plays, where patrons are seated in the theatre and watch a story, this is immersive storytelling which began from the moment we walked into the Flight Path Theatre in Marrickville. Producer Aaron Cornelius greeted us at the door with a raffle ticket – for what, we did not know, but it did create a sense of excitement! Billed as a fantasy-comedy interactive show, I was aware that audience participation was most likely going to happen. However, for people who aren’t comfortable with this, there are marked seats inside the theatre for those who don’t mind being a part of the show.
When we entered the theatre, the lighting was dim. Shadows created crevices of the unknown. There was an atmosphere that felt mysterious and ominous. (Lighting design by Caity Cowan) What was this place? Where were we? At first glance, it looked like a garage filled with vintage junk; a hoarder’s room stacked floor to ceiling with things like boxes, sheets, tee shirts, guitars, paintings, milk crates, monitors, sport equipment and suitcases. As the play progressed, it was clear that every placement of this seemingly haphazardly strewn “stuff” was designed and placed with infinite care from the imagination of production designers Hannah Taylor and Paris Bell. The visual effects of the multi-level set was impressive. As a room infused with lost memories, my eyes kept exploring the set throughout the play and I wondered, who were the people whose memories these belonged to? The set also reminded me of The Junk Lady from one of my favourite films, “Labyrinth”.
We follow a confused Cassie, portrayed by Emma Throssell, where she finds herself unexpectedly in this strange space, looking for something, of which she cannot remember. She has literally fallen into a world where she encounters many interesting characters who help and hinder a journey towards discovering what it is that she has lost. Emma’s portrayal of Cassie delivered an outstanding performance that captured the emotional depth and authenticity of the character and I felt myself cheering her on in her quest. In one scene, Cassie had to perform a stand-up routine for an audition. Emma wrote this routine for her character. I felt the awkwardness and nervousness of Cassie as she delivered it, at the same time finding it very funny.
The amazing puppets and puppeteering were a delight to watch! Puppet maker/ director George Wohlfiel created original characters, ones who I could not help but look into their eyes – up at Lizard Wizard, down at the cheeky lizard and particularly at the pigeons Carl and Steve, whose eyes popped out and bobbed as they spoke. Carl had a big personality – a ciggy craving pigeon that made me laugh. His job was akin to a Service NSW customer service worker who was overworked, underpaid and frazzled. There was one puppet called Poppet, with its big eyes and gentle personality who I wanted to take home. Another character, The Dread Pirate Susan, spoke eloquently in poetry, and her name reminded me of The Dread Pirate Roberts from another of my favourite films, “The Princess Bride”. I loved the respectful nod to the two films I’d associated certain characters from, while still maintaining originality.
The puppeteers were polished in their craft and worked together to create convincing movements of their characters for a realistic stage presence. Puppeteers Ashley Chandler, Natanyah Forbes, Jade Fuda, Michael Ho and Renae Valastro did an outstanding job, all the while weaving their own bodies onto the stage with nuance and expression.
Co-sound designers Bryan Ruiz and Ellie Wilson from “Lost and Finding” created a continuous audio environment that added a strong dimension to the production. The dramatic soundscape and subtle sound effects, along with the visuals, encompassed my senses. One scene, which involved a villain speaking, was done with great depth and menace.
Director Emma Van Veen also wrote the play “Lost and Finding”. Her script captured my curiosity from the start and allowed my imagination to stretch to places within the set and far away. There were several sub-plots in the storytelling which were intertwined and were cleverly penned. “Lost and Finding” reminds us of the complexity of our own minds and the limitlessness of our imaginations. This tale of self-discovery, of finding the unexpected was a beautifully woven theatre production which I highly recommend to everyone. Go see it!
I saw the world premiere performance of “Lost and Finding” at the Flight Path Theatre on Friday 15 August 2025.
Flight Path Theatre: 9b 142 Addison Road, Marrickville
Run: 14-23 August 2025
Time: 100 minutes, no interval
Tickets: www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/lost-amp-findings
To book tickets to Lost & Finding, please visit https://www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/lost-amp-findings.
Photographer: Phil Erbacher
