All images courtesy of (it’s no) drama. Photographer Lauren Murphy © 2024
The big production for (it’s no) drama physical performance ensemble for 2024 is Melt—an impressionistic telling of the story of the Lady of the Swamp. This tale—an extant and unsolved true crime mystery—tells of the strange life and unexplained disappearance, in the 1950s, of South Gippsland woman Margaret Clement.
It’s an epic riches to rags story of a high society family that dwindled down to one remaining person, living on a grand property that was falling into ruin, and slowly being engulfed by a rising swamp.
This stage production, full of spectacular colour, movement, and music, was performed in the Leongatha Memorial Hall to large and rapturous audiences. The creator of the show, Samara Cunningham, who is the founding Artistic Director of (it’s no) drama, has once again conceived a vast and ambitiously playful work that somewhat abstracts the story, with creative licence, and highlights the many strengths of this consummately talented group of performers.
I was commissioned as the composer and sound designer for the show, weaving the music in with the beautiful video and stage creations of Kate Russell, the amazing costume creations of Mayumi McPhee, and the lighting designs of the much celebrated Richard Vabre. Much credit also goes to our wonderful photographer Lauren Murphy, and film-maker Luke McNee of Seagrass Films. Their skilled documentation of the production reveals such care and respect of the work and of the performers. They reveal moments that would otherwise disappear in an ephemeral blur. As such, they show us the depth of passion and work that goes into a production like Melt.
This work, like the previous production from (it’s no) drama, Wild Woods (2023), requires a big musical score to carry the physicality and constant movement of the production. Composing for works of this scale is wonderful and terrifying, in equal measure … and, ultimately, immensely satisfying, because the final production is much bigger than the sum of the parts.
You can listen to the soundtrack here …
© 2024—Music composed by Michael Shirrefs
Performers & Creators
Emily Ardley
David Baker
Hannah Bradsworth
Steve Canning
Murray Lyster
Georgia McDonald-Flegg
Victoria Stephan
Debbie Wilson
Arts Support Staff & Performers
Wing Yi Chan
Jamie Friday
Kim McDonald
Jasmine Susic
Marg Watson
Creative Team
Artistic Director
Composer & Sound Designer
Costume Designer
Set Design + Projection Designer
Technical Stage Manager
Lighting
Video Production
Photographer
Graphic Designer
Samara Cunningham
Michael Shirrefs
Mayumi McPhee
Kate Russell
Mark Harrison
William McCarthy
Luke McNee
Lauren Murphy
Jessica Greaves
