Latest news with #BurnoutParadise
The Age
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Their last show was a kinky dinner party. Naturally, they're taking on Chekhov next
Will Pony Cam take an actual chainsaw to Chekhov's final play in The Orchard? While the ensemble members won't give anything away, based on past form, it's a distinct possibility. Anything can happen at a Pony Cam show – that's part of their unorthodox charm – though the performers might need to up power tools if they want to outdo Burnout Paradise, the Fringe hit that saw them take to treadmills and enlist audiences to help multitask through a list of increasingly outrageous chores (including submitting an arts grant application) against the clock. Slapstick scenes proliferated in that one; on one occasion in Edinburgh, a man leapt out of the audience to pash a performer on the lips, in a frenetic attempt to complete the final mission with only seconds remaining on the timer. The show's chaotic scenario demanded presence from the performers too. 'You can be on autopilot,' says Claire Bird of Burnout Paradise, 'but at the end of the day, you can't autopilot your relationship with an audience that's shaving your leg and feeding you bananas at the same time. You just can't do that. You've got to be present.' An emphasis on shared presence is baked into the company's DNA. That's unsurprising, given it was founded not long before the COVID pandemic, when the five ensemble members – Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams – were at the Victorian College of the Arts together in 2019. Pony Cam's unorthodox practice was shaped by the young artists' capacity to turn the extraordinary misfortune of Melbourne's extended theatre shutdowns into a creative opportunity. 'People talk about this show like it's our 'mainstage debut',' says Weintraub uncertainly, 'but in fact, it's the first show we've made specifically for a theatre … largely because for the first few years, theatres were closed. 'We spent two years watching online art that couldn't speak to its audience, that couldn't relate to its audience,' he continues. 'We developed a real desire to connect with people, and for that connection to be the very core of everything we make.'
Sydney Morning Herald
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Their last show was a kinky dinner party. Naturally, they're taking on Chekhov next
Will Pony Cam take an actual chainsaw to Chekhov's final play in The Orchard? While the ensemble members won't give anything away, based on past form, it's a distinct possibility. Anything can happen at a Pony Cam show – that's part of their unorthodox charm – though the performers might need to up power tools if they want to outdo Burnout Paradise, the Fringe hit that saw them take to treadmills and enlist audiences to help multitask through a list of increasingly outrageous chores (including submitting an arts grant application) against the clock. Slapstick scenes proliferated in that one; on one occasion in Edinburgh, a man leapt out of the audience to pash a performer on the lips, in a frenetic attempt to complete the final mission with only seconds remaining on the timer. The show's chaotic scenario demanded presence from the performers too. 'You can be on autopilot,' says Claire Bird of Burnout Paradise, 'but at the end of the day, you can't autopilot your relationship with an audience that's shaving your leg and feeding you bananas at the same time. You just can't do that. You've got to be present.' An emphasis on shared presence is baked into the company's DNA. That's unsurprising, given it was founded not long before the COVID pandemic, when the five ensemble members – Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams – were at the Victorian College of the Arts together in 2019. Pony Cam's unorthodox practice was shaped by the young artists' capacity to turn the extraordinary misfortune of Melbourne's extended theatre shutdowns into a creative opportunity. 'People talk about this show like it's our 'mainstage debut',' says Weintraub uncertainly, 'but in fact, it's the first show we've made specifically for a theatre … largely because for the first few years, theatres were closed. 'We spent two years watching online art that couldn't speak to its audience, that couldn't relate to its audience,' he continues. 'We developed a real desire to connect with people, and for that connection to be the very core of everything we make.'
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cork Midsummer review: Burnout Paradise combines frenetic workout with audience participation
Burnout Paradise, Pony Cam Dance, Firkin Crane, Cork Midsummer Festival, ★★★☆☆ The metaphorical treadmill of modern living is literally manifested in this frenzied and fun show from Melbourne experimental theatre collective Pony Cam, as part of Cork Midsummer Festival's Australian strand. Over the course of an hour, four performers (Claire Bird, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams) race to complete a series of tasks displayed on a whiteboard — brush teeth, solve Rubik's Cube, wrap a gift, and, for some local flavour, sink a Beamish — all while running on treadmills. If they don't beat their personal best time as a collective, the audience can request a refund. While these tasks are being completed, they must also make a three-course meal for two audience members, do a performance piece, and submit an online grant application in real time (in this case, to South Dublin County Council). This particular assignment is greeted with knowing laughter by the audience, many of whom one can assume have wrestled with such a document in their time. Burnout Paradise at Cork Midsummer Festival. Picture: Jed Niezgoda The audience are invited to help along the way — shoutout to the woman who was tasked with making butter and had to vigorously shake a jar for almost the entire show — while fellow cast member, Laura, dispenses Gatorade on request and also sells merch. It all makes for a heady and chaotic concoction. As a theatrical experience, it is impossible to take it all in — you concentrate on one performer, you miss something that another has done. You're also out of luck if audience participation isn't your bag — even the ones who don't volunteer are enlisted to play bingo, blow up balloons and hunt for chocolate. On the most obvious level, the show highlights the relentless pressure to survive and thrive, and the toll it takes. Although, as my own heart rate went up and I started to feel panicky, I wondered what watching all of this was doing to my own wellbeing. There are some beguiling elements which could be more deeply explored in a different setting, such as Claire Bird performing dance competition routines from her childhood, while in a poignant echo, a screen shows her doing the same numbers as a little girl. In terms of physicality, endurance and effort, it is hard not to be impressed but as the sensory overload mounts, I find myself zoning out. As in real life, the jugglers drop some balls; the grant application is not submitted, the personal best is not achieved, but judging by the standing ovation, I doubt anyone looked for their money back.
Digital Trends
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
The Nintendo Switch 2's GameChat has a hidden screen sharing restriction
The Nintendo Switch 2's new GameChat feature has a hidden restriction that prevents players from screen sharing select games. During testing, Digital Trends discovered that the app will block broadcasting of specific games while the app is open. So far we've seen that in action with Lumines Remastered, though it's not clear what causes the restriction to trigger. GameChat is a new feature that's exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. It essentially puts Zoom inside of the console. With the press of a button, players can activate a video feed through a web camera and share their live gameplay footage with everyone in the party chat. While the shared gameplay video broadcasts at a choppy framerate, the feature largely does what it says — but there's a catch. Recommended Videos During a GameChat session, I opened up Lumines Remastered. Rather than showing the other users in chat my screen, a black screen popped up noting that gameplay sharing for that title was restricted. That restriction remained as long as the app was running. That means that if I popped out to the home menu, that footage would still be blocked until I closed the app. As of now, it's unclear what exactly triggers the restriction. My first guess was that it had something to do with licensed music, but another user was able to share their screen while playing Burnout Paradise, a game that features plenty of licensed tunes. I also had no trouble sharing Fitness Boxing 3, which features covers of popular songs like Bad Guy. Digital Trends has reached out to Nintendo for clarification on the restriction and will update this article when we receive an answer. The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5. We are currently working on a full review of the system, but in the meantime, you can read our recent impressions of the system and Mario Kart World.
Tom's Guide
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I played Mario Kart World for 6 hours — here are 5 reasons to buy it with Switch 2 at launch
Mario Kart World is going to be the biggest game for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. And I'm not just basing that on the footage Nintendo has revealed or even our coverage from the Switch 2 launch event. I recently played the upcoming kart racer for nearly six hours at a Switch 2 press event, and I can confidently say it's going to be a must-own title. As its name suggests, Mario Kart World features a giant open world featuring a wide variety of environments you can freely explore when not participating in races. If you're like me and miss the open world antics of Burnout Paradise, you'll feel right at home here. And the game isn't just big because of its expansive locales, as it also offers a slew of gameplay modes, unlockable content and other secrets. Though I'm not as familiar with this franchise as some of my friends and colleagues, I'm very impressed with what I've seen of Mario Kart World so far. Yes, it costs $80 as a standalone purchase, but it's a game that will be worth every single penny. Here are five reasons why. One of the first things I tried in Mario Kart World was its Free Roam mode, and I wasn't disappointed. The game's enormous map contains various locales inspired by older Mario Kart tracks and several other Nintendo games. And this world isn't just window dressing. If you can see it, you can drive to it. To that point, I drove down a tranquil meadow, taking in the sights, when I caught a glimpse of something dark in my peripheral vision. Turning the camera, I saw a menacing-looking volcano topped with dark clouds far off in the distance. I turned around and drove toward this location and eventually found myself in Bowser's fiery world. The peaceful meadow, which now lay in the distance, solidified how far I had driven and the vastness of the map. If you want structure when exploring the world, you can drive over big 'P' switches that unlock time trials and other challenges. Some of these challenges are pretty… well, challenging, but you're rewarded for your efforts. Couch co-op is a Mario Kart staple, but it gets a major boost on Switch 2, especially if you're using the Nintendo Switch 2 camera. Thanks to the camera, you can now have all participants' heads hovering over their respective in-game drivers in real time, letting you know exactly who you're trying to sabotage with a turtle shell. This is also far more personal than the standard P1 or P2 you'd normally get in a game. Having four players (or four smaller screens on a display) works as well as you'd expect. The frame rate drops down to 30 for each person, but the visual quality remains sharp and vivid. I never had difficulty seeing what was happening on my screen. I should note that the frame rate can hit around 60 fps if there are only two screens on the display. If you have a family or frequently have guests over, then you're all going to have a blast playing Mario Kart World together. You can also link up with up to 20 other players online if you want to extend the fun beyond the couch. This is another way this game lives up to its 'World' moniker. Speaking of 24-player races, Knockout Tour is going to be a big hit with Mario Kart World players. This race starts with 24 racers, but with each lap, the last-place drivers are eliminated until only four remain. If you're one of the unfortunate players eliminated early, you'll have to spectate the race until the others finish. Mario Kart races can get pretty wild, and Knockout Tour serves to amplify things since you don't want to get eliminated too early. This frantic feeling is amplified even more since races can swiftly turn. One minute, you're sitting pretty in first place. One blue turtle shell later, and you're in last place and screaming at your TV. Knockout Tour is available in single-player mode but it truly shines in online or couch co-op mode. Feeling like you're about to lose it all might not be fun in the moment, but hearing your opponent's exasperated cries when you send them toward the back of the race is extremely rewarding. I can see myself spending an obscene amount of time playing Knockout Tour online. Battle Mode has been around since the original Mario Kart on the Super NES, but it's naturally a lot bigger in Mario Kart World. For instance, I played the classic Coin Runners mode, where players try to collect the most coins. However, I had to do so in the middle of a giant bowl-shaped sandpit that can suck you up if you get too close to its center. The equally classic Balloon Battle was also pretty perilous when trying to pop others' balloons while racing down the side of a steep snow-covered hill. Like Knockout Tour, playing against others is what makes Battle Mode incredibly fun. I also plan on spending many hours playing this one online. I had unlocked new drivers, karts and outfits just in my first hour of playing Mario Kart World. That alone shows me that this game will be jam-packed with unlockable content. In a world where DLC has all but erased proper unlockables, having so much in a game at launch is a refreshing change of pace. Completing races and challenges unlocks new drivers and karts. This game also lets you change your character's outfit when you pass by one of the Yoshi drive-thrus scattered across the map. Eating food from these drive-thrus not only gives you a speed boost but also unlocks new outfits. The more dishes you eat, the more outfits you'll have. I'm sure I only scratched the surface of Mario Kart World's unlockables, so it'll be fun to see what we can ultimately unlock in the final game. People would have been more than happy with a Mario Kart 9 that stayed close to the franchise's tried-and-true formula. Thankfully, Nintendo set out to exceed expectations and deliver the most ambitious entry yet with Mario Kart World. Even though I played for about six hours and tested almost every offline and online mode available, I know the game has much more to offer. And if Nintendo updates this game as much as it did with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, then Nintendo Switch 2 users will be playing this racer for many years to come. As I said, the $80 price tag seems more than justified for what this title offers. But if you can get your hands on it, the $499 Nintendo Switch 2 bundled with Mario Kart World saves you $30 off the game. Regardless, if you're buying a Switch 2, you absolutely need to get Mario Kart World. Not only will it arguably be the best in the series so far, but it will also be a possible contender for game of the year.
