U.F.O. (Griffin Lookout) ★★★1/2

Written by Kirby Medway. Griffin Theatre Company. 18-29 April, 2023.

We’ve seen the blending of film and theatre on stage a fair bit recently, from Kip Williams’ ‘Cine-Theatre’ productions for Sydney Theatre Co (like The Picture of Dorian Gray), to Redline’s recent Collapsible. Now Griffin is playing host to re:group Collective’s U.F.O. Part cinema, part photography, part puppetry, all theatre, it’s a fascinating journey to experience.

An Unidentified Flying Object has touched down on a golf-course and a team of observers are staking it out, recording the pattern of flashing lights and watching the ducks in order to learn… well… they don’t really know why they’re doing it. They don’t really know who’s in charge either. Or when their shift will be over… All they do know is they’re running low on office supplies and that needs to change. It’s a Close Encounter of the FORE! Kind.

Four performers (Matt Abotomey, James Harding, Angela Johnston, Tahlee Leeson) play the observers, moving puppets made to look like them on the model stage, acting as puppeteer, voice actor and camera crew. Behind them, the camera-eye view is projected, adding a cinematic element. It’s fascinating to watch the tableaux take shape on screen. Slowly, as the show progresses, it steps away from photography into moving images. It’s surprisingly atmospheric.

Kirby Medway’s script is gently funny, blending the banality of low-paid work like The Office with the paranoid tension of The Thing. At just over 60 min long, it’s odd that it actually felt… longer. The story is certainly moody, but felt like it progressed too slowly. I wasn’t totally convinced at the blend of comedy and claustrophobic drama – both needed elevating to really make this land. I wanted more of everything.

U.F.O. makes you wonder who is more alien, visitors from outer space or your coworkers. While watching the storytelling is part of the fun, the story itself is what keeps us there. Filled with humour and the kind of characters you’d expect from a British workplace sitcom, this is intriguing theatre. It may not be a total home run for me, but it’s definitely got me very interested in what re:group has to come.