Interview with co-writer/director John Harrison of Visiting Hours

Visiting Hours is a mind-bending experience that sees the five-story Kings Cross Hotel reimagined as an off-the-grid medical facility run by a mysterious figure known only as The Doctor. Audience members are plunged into The Doctor’s bizarre and disturbing medical world, while participating in his unconventional therapies and experiments.

The character of The Doctor is inspired by a larger-than-life, gun-toting physician who treated Kings Cross residents in the 1930s. Co-writer and Director for Visiting Hours, and bAKEHOUSE Co-Artistic Director, John Harrison said, “We wanted Visiting Hours to connect with the history of the Cross. Some truly fascinating people lived here in the late 19th and early 20th century and one of those was the creative spark for the show.”

Visiting Hours features a team f over 20 actors, singers and musicians in a work that blends music, performance, lighting and sound with a design that exploits the unique architecture of the Kings Cross Hotel.

“At its heart, Visiting Hours is a love story but just not in a traditional form,” says co-writer Michael Costi. “It’s fun and trippy and as the night progresses, the experience becomes darker and more unsettling. There are breakout moments and surprises that mean every audience member will have an entirely unique experience!”

KXT Artistic Director Suzanne Millar said, “bAKEHOUSE had only been running KXT for a few months when we first created Visiting Hours. We were thrilled when it sold out in 2016, and we are delighted to be partnering with KX Hotel to present this updated, extended and improved version. It’s all part of our ongoing commitment to develop and support risky work.”

Visiting Hours is the first in a trilogy of large-scale immersive theatre experiences that bAKEHOUSE have programmed for 2018 including KX Ultra (part of Vivid Sydney) from 28th May to 10th June and Armistice from 1st to 11th November.

Writers John Harrison, Constantine Costi and Michael Costi Directors John Harrison and Michael Dean Sound Design Tegan Nicholls Lighting Design Benjamin Brockman Set and Costume Design Anna Gardiner Stage Manager & Production Assistant Andrew McMartin.

 Cast Arisa Yura, Cheyne Finn, Elijah Williams, Heather Prowse, Jim McCrudden, Joshua McElroy, Katherine Shearer, Kieren Brereton, Laura Djanegara, Monica Sayers, Nicole Wineberg, Rebecca Claire Moret, Richard Hilliar, Rose Costi, Sarah Evans, Suz Mawer and Yannick Lawry.

 Dates: 7th to 17th February 2018. Preview: 7th February. Opening 8th February

Times: Sessions start every 30 minutes between 7-9pm

Running Time: 75mins

Venue: Kings Cross Hotel – 248 William St, Potts Point

Tickets: Adult $35 | Concession $30 | Previews and Cheap Tuesday $25. Bookings via www.kingsxtheatre.com

 

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