The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer

‘The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik; Deep Sea Explorer,’ a universally acclaimed masterpiece, created by Perth’s Tim Watts, in collaboration with Arielle Gray. It is now two and a half years since its world premiere at The Blue Room, where it won Best Production of the year. It has since been to the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival winning best solo show. After the Dublin Fringe Festival, followed by seasons in South Korea, India, Adelaide and New Zealand, the show returns to Perth after just finishing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The show has gathered an award at almost every world venue.

This endearing presentation is by the Perth Theatre Company and Weeping Spoon Productions. It is playing at Studio Underground, in the State Theatre Centre of WA, corner of Roe and William Streets, Northbridge nightly at 8.00 pm until the Saturday, 3^rd December. There are matinees on Saturday at 4.00 pm.

 

           In a dimly lit room, we witness Alvin Sputnik at his dying wife’s side. As Elena passes away, her soul leaves her body and drifts into the ether.  Broken-hearted, but with enduring love, Alvin goes in search of her soul. On his travels, he finds that global warming has melted the polar caps and most of the large cities are now under water.
However, Alvin learns that there may still be a paradise left on Earth, if he can find it then he can save the world’s remaining population. His search goes from the highest mountain to the dark, frightening depths of the oceans.

 

 

A hand drawn sketch is projected onto a 2-metre round screen, it explains how the world’s ecology is collapsing. This outline then develops into a quality, animated cartoon that is interactive with the puppets.

This meld of live human action, computer technology and multimedia presents to us a genuinely tear-jerking, charismatic story of an old man and his lost love.

The whole show is backed with powerful sound effects, and quality music ranging from the simple strum of a ukulele, to classical style orchestral pieces (Tim Watts and Matt Cheetham).

In this 50-minute show, you see the human Alvin turn into a miniature deep-sea diver. Then, thanks to the brilliant, ingenious gadgetry of Anthony Watts, Alvin plumbs the depths making some highly entertaining discoveries. Tim simultaneously operates the lighting, sound, visuals, presents the dialogue as well as operating the puppets, without even the slightest flicker.  An excellent, slick production supervised by Chris Isaacs.

This is one of the best feel good shows you will see. Truly, this is an experience that the whole family will love, right from Grumpy Dad to whinging old Grandma. The kids will be mesmerised.

To quote the BroadwayWorld.com ‘I highly doubt if any $40 million Broadway spectacle could pack such an emotional wallop into two-and-a-half hours as Mr Watts does in 45 minutes’.