Vic Park and Black Swan pool their resources

Perth Now

18-06-2025

The Town of Victoria Park has approved providing in-kind support to host the Black Swan State Theatre Company's popular immersive show The Pool at the Aqualife leisure centre for its 2025 summer showing.
At the council meeting on Tuesday night, council members voted unanimously in support of the the Town's commitment to provide the funding.
Victoria Park chief executive Carl Askew said the town was hopeful that hosting the production would help build a relationship with Black Swan that 'could see more productions brought to the town in the future'.
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The town report said that hosting the show would increase attendance at the community leisure facility and provide local community and tourism benefits.
'The production will draw an audience to Victoria Park and be close to our food and beverage areas.' the report says.
Written by Steve Rodgers and directed by Kate Champion, the production drew almost 8000 patrons over 15 performances at Bold Park in 2024.
'With the advancement of audio technology, we have the ability to bring theatre to the people, to a place where a wide range of society naturally gathers together in surroundings we are familiar with, and where a sense of egalitarianism is all pervasive - the public swimming pool, our pool, The Pool.' Ms Champion said. Audience members will be given headsets to listen in. Credit: Black Swan Theatre Company
Mr Rodgers said that he feels like he has been writing this play his whole life.
'The idea began in earnest; people watching,' Mr Rodgers said.
'Sitting in the stands at my local pool, I was struck by the variety of people sharing the space. Mums and bubs, teenagers flirting, the elderly doing water aerobics, a militant lifeguard, an adult learning to swim. I started to imagine all these people's interactions, glimpsing snatches of their lives, each with their own story to tell.'
The cast and crew will be at the popular leisure centre for six to seven days to rehearse and block out their performance site.
One main character will be cast from the town, who is a regular at the facility.
Rodgers will interview the local cast member and create a monologue that will be pre-recorded for use in the performance. The Pool cast at Bold Park Aquatic Centre. Pictured are back row Edyll Ismail, Tobias Muhafidin, Geoff Kelso and Polly Low, middle row Joel Jackson, Emma Jackson and Julia Moody, front row Anna Gray, Kylie Bracknell and Carys Munks. Credit: The West / Ian Munro
The production will result in the early closure of the outdoor 50m pool from 5pm for three days before the performances for rehearsals, and closure from 6pm on the three nights of performances.
The in-kind support from the town is estimated to be $3160, which includes free use of the venue and lifeguards for rehearsals, communications and marketing support for community engagement, and management of an on-site box office. The 50m outdoor pool will host the show. Credit: Victoria Park Leisure Centre
The Pool is described as an immersive theatrical experience where audiences sit poolside and listen in on personal headsets to conversations of characters while watching 'their world play out'.
'It is an intimate study of the unique, fragile and varied stages of our lives, and a celebration of the public spaces that create community,' the town report says.
'The production explores themes such as parenting, ageing, disability, physical and emotional intimacy, addiction, and touch.
'This communal celebration allows the community to engage directly with the performance and promotes active participation.'
The Pool will run over the week of December 7 for three nights.