Entering Norwood’s Odeon Theatre, the audience moves through a darkened auditorium and chooses from any of the seats scattered throughout. They are surrounded by various scenes mounted on risers like pageant wagons in a medieval play.

Two are curtained off completely, one reveals a ghostly shadow through backlit frosted glass, and the largest reveals a dimly lit couple on a sofa behind transparent gauze.

A pair of eyes that sparkle with blue glitter eyeshadow is projected onto one set of curtains, staring at the assembling crowd.

The atmosphere is electric and the audience cheers with delight as the blinking eyes are replaced by a huge pair of red lips that begin to sing the opening song of Restless Dance Theatre’s Private View.

One immediately thinks of the Rolling Stones, or the opening titles of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Then composer, singer and MC for the evening, Carla Lippis, emerges from the darkness and sidles up to the supersized lips as she takes over the vocal.

Private View at the 2024 Adelaide Festival. Photo © Matt Byrne

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