Alexandria 2.0 Songs About Books - A Review

Janet and I didn’t quite know what to expect.

There we sat in our seats on Saturday night just past, facing other members of the audience in a horseshoe formation with the stage on one side and a projector on the other. The newest production presented by Fremantle Theatre Company at the beautiful and cosy Victoria Hall.

Strobe lights and the sound of helicopters brought Janet back to a Pink Floyd concert. “Oh?” I replied, sipping on my prosecco, desperately hoping I hadn’t dragged her along to something too outlandish.

We’d been lucky enough to snag complimentary tickets for the final performance of Alexandria 2.0: Songs About Books. Those tickets were originally assigned to winners of the recent Fremantle Shipping News competition (name the venue the show’s held in) but they advised us they couldn’t make it, and for our sakes I’m very grateful indeed.

For a bit of background, the Library of Alexandria once held an unrivalled collection of wisdom in its shelves. The loss of this knowledge due to a fire purportedly set civilisation back a thousand years, or so they say. When I saw the name of this performance, Alexandria 2.0, I was picturing something operatic or baroque, interpretative lyrics accompanied by perhaps a flute, lyre, or harp. Not so. Local band Sound AF Productions had something very different in mind.

How best to describe it?

A little strange. But stupendous. Mesmerising. Totally immersive. Stirring. Deeply moving.

The music is an exploration in how the books make you feel, elevating narrated key passages and summaries of beloved literature. This evening included James and the Giant Peach, The Giving Tree, Tomorrow When the War Began, and Mountains of Madness. While I remember enjoying Down and Out in Paris and London, feeling the music reverberating in my chest through drums, electric guitar and synth brought it home for me in a completely new way.

A technical difficulty where the sound and projections briefly gave out was masterfully handled with an improvised guitar and drum riff to everyone’s delight. In fact, it made the evening that much more fun and intimate. And if I could change anything at all, I simply wished that we could’ve got up and danced to it!

An unforgettable experience.

Especially if I can somehow get my hands on that soundtrack, I swear I will!

9/10

By Gayle O’Leary

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