Why Audience Participation Is Essential At Dark Mofo

For many, audience participation at a show can be a somewhat daunting prospect, but at Dark Mofo, entering unknown territory and broadening your horizons is the aim of the game.

Here are five shows you can (and should) get involved with.

OGOH-OGOH

The Ogoh-ogoh is a giant creature into which punters can feed their fears, scrawled on a piece of paper. The creature is then burned at the end of the festival. Take that, anxiety!

The demon-like sculpture comes from Balinese Hinduism and you’ll be able to feed it secrets numerous times throughout the festival from June 9 – 17 before The Burning at Macquarie Point on June 18. It’s free and open to anyone.

INFINITE CORPSE - TERRAPIN PUPPET THEATRE

If you’re a fan of surrealist drawing game Exquisite Corpse, then Infinite Corpse is for you. The public is invited to scribble a section of a gigantic corpse on a digital device that will be projected high above the audience before it rots away shortly after, to be drawn again. This free event runs from June 9 – 18 at Macquarie Point.

THE SECOND WOMAN - NAT RANDALL  

Artist Nat Randall is on the lookout for 100 male participants for The Second Woman. Over 24 hours, each participant will act out the same scene (adapted from John Cassavete’s film Opening Night) at Peacock Theatre, evoking various levels of intimacy and conflict. It kicks off June 17, with applications now open.

150.ACTION - HERMANN NITSCH

The highly controversial show from acclaimed Australian artist and critical founder of Viennese Actionism Hermann Nitsch isn’t one for the faint-hearted. Participants in the sacrificial, animalistic ritual art piece will assist Nitsch and his orchestra in a powerful show (containing intense imagery, nudity and strong adult themes) that utilises a bull's carcass and 500 litres of blood. The performance takes place June 17.

Empty Ocean - Mike Parr 

Last year, legendary Australian performance artist Mike Parr stunned at Willow Court and he returns to Dark Mofo (Bruny Island) on June 12 with Empty Ocean. He is currently looking participants over 55 years of age.

Find out more information and register for the above events here.