This year’s Joondalup Festival has brought over Pony Cam, a collective of five theatre makers based in Victoria, to present Anything You Can Do, a work that invites members of the local community to co-create a performance in only 10 days. Anything You Can Do explores generational perspectives on sex and grief specifically, ostensibly pitting the ‘old’ locals against the ‘young’ artists, but ultimately finding more common ground than opposing views.
The performance takes place at Padbury Hall in the suburb of Padbury, so not quite Joondalup and not quite Perth. In festival terms, it’s probably a bit distant to benefit from the sense of occasion that might come from being surrounded by other festival events and happenings within walking distance or easily accessible by public transport. Nevertheless, the hall is equipped with light trusses, an elevated stage, and most importantly, space – all attractive amenities for performance makers.
A hefty portion of the performance was spent under the hall’s fluoros, despite the decent lighting rig, presumably to emphasise the raw side of creativity and highlight the local community aspect of their work. It feels like a rehearsal when the fluoros are blaring, and without intentional, directional lighting, it’s easier to lose an audience’s focus on what you want them to focus on.
The semi-casual question and answer format presented ample opportunity for perspective sharing and authenticity, but it also became unclear whose turn it was to ask or answer and whether the performers cut each other off intentionally or accidentally. It also prompted some audience members to answer these questions aloud themselves, even though there had been no invitation from the performers to do so.
The performance also incorporated some pre-set dramatic scenes from the Pony Cam five; the middle section in particular gave strong Lynchian vibes; one performer gave strong ‘the Giant’ from Twin Peaks vibes, sitting under a spotlight while ceiling fans whirred overhead and a woman cradling something in her arms a la the Log Lady moved slowly from the shadows towards him. Surreal incongruities infused melodrama into the most mundane situational contexts (sharing Twisties with someone next to you, smashing a piñata filled with Twisties, crossing a floor scattered with Twisties – so many Twisties), rendering the scenes both inscrutable and humorous.
By the end, the Q&A format grew too predictable, and not much new was revealed or cumulated in a sense of completion. The show got a range of reactions from the audience, giggles, cringes, laughter to tears, some bewildered stares, dodging water gun spray, and cheering on the piñata smasher. Ultimately, Anything You Can Do achieves a spirit of spontaneity, improvisation, and community-building by welcoming non-performers into what might be an uncomfortable or intimidating space for many, the performance space.
CICELY BINFORD
Anything You Can Do by Pony Cam was presented by Joondalup Festival from 21 – 23 Mar 2025 at Padbury Hall. For more information on this past event, click here.
