“THE CARDINAL” - ENTER AND [REDACTED]

“Abandon All Virtue, Ye Who Enter Here”

What happens when you forget about your morals? When you let go of what you know to be good and evil? Maybe you’ll lose yourself... or maybe you’ll finally find and accept the sinner you’ve always been. Within the confines of The Outlore Base awaits an immersive theatrical experience where you’ll be asking yourself these questions, and you might just be able to answer them too. 

Friends of VERVE will remember the interview with the creators of The Outlore Base, Liam Gillespie and Kimberley Buckle (and if you didn’t read it, you should!). Now, they’ve created a brand new production hitting the stage of this iconic venue. Aptly named, ‘The Cardinal’ explores religious ideology with a modern and technological twist, especially if you’re a fan of escape rooms, worldbuilding and/or roleplay/RPGs. Leaving the viewer feeling like they are in church… or rather, a simulation of one. 

Written/directed by Kim and choreographed by Liam, the ‘Red Show’ as it was first referred to, aims to create a space in the world of theatre that breaks boundaries through acting, dance, aerial skills and more… yes, MORE. Since the inception of The Outlore, Liam and Kim were fielding questions like “But what is it?” or “So, is it a play?”, and used that as fuel to create a space capable of blending different mediums and creating something new. Not only do they break the mold on what an experience in a theatre could be, but they’ve gone beyond their own skills and knowledge - with Liam learning how to translate a movement language into a narrative and Kim rediscovering her voice as a writer, after a year long hiatus

Trust, admiration, community, freedom. These are not just the principles of the production team, but also the experience of the performers. The collaborative framework of the rehearsals fashioned a tight knit dynamic comparable to a family. As such, the team works together to create a space where each person gets the chance to voice how they feel and give their inputs. Each performer was given the chance to take their role and stretch themselves (dancing pun) to the point where they explore the bounds of their artistic expression. “This is family for me. This feels like home.” is how Gaetan ‘G-Boi’ Musungaie feels about the process and the production in its entirety. Actors and dancers alike feel like they want to be there and work in conjunction with the embodiment of their imagination and creativity. 

“I think that’s our undertone for this show. It's definitely to make theatre cool again.” - Liam.

As you enter the venue, you are immediately hit with the sense that you are entering a world beyond our own, with five red bottlecaps given to you as tokens. The space is embellished with soft fabric and heavy bottles hanging from the ceiling, words spray-painted on walls, the effortless flowing movements of the aerial dancer and fellow audience members either sitting at the bar or roaming around, admiring the world they’ve just stepped into. The environment is cold like an empty cathedral, contrasting the hellishly hot red lights and hooded figures as they greet you with shots of wine- oh sorry… communion… 

While making your way through the space, a cowboy approaches you. “Howdy, stranger. Come here often?” he beckons to you, gesturing to the piggybank he’s holding. He clearly wants you to make a donation. But it is, of course, your choice. Once you make your donation, the Cowboy becomes robotic and hands you a small piece of paper. “Stir the water” The words don’t seem to make sense, but hey… they might soon enough. However, it seems everybody gets a different quote… Is this… a puzzle?

Soon, the performance starts. The cowboy has started speaking to an audience member at the bar. Seems like another character was hidden in plain sight. The Cowboy gives his hat to the Hero and with that, the story begins. Dancers light up the stage, performing energetic and calculated movements while the preacher’s angelic words gospelize eternal life as well as damnation. The Hero, in his confused state, starts exploring the space as well, moving from one secluded area to the next. Dialogue can be heard in these areas, often syncing up with the preacher's sermon.  As for the audience, we get to choose our fate too. Do we follow his journey, or follow the narratives created by the figures? Both seem connected by an underlying thread that reveals itself in time.  

As the Hero makes his way through the different areas, the stage is on fire from the friction caused by the often sinister movements of the dancers, addressing love, betrayal, defiance, freedom, and sex with each leap, bend, and glide. The open space creates an opportunity to view the dancing from multiple angles, prompting the audience member to witness all actions in different ways. Once the Hero has made his way through all the areas, he moves to the back of the room, where he must face a figure - evidently, this is not the first time he’s done this. As soon as the encounter comes to a close, the Hero appears to be advancing through this realm once more, hoping to finally find the exit. So how about you? What would you spend your coins on?

Now, being a person who hates spoilers, I would rather be turned into a Company Gardens squirrel than tell you how it ends. So, you’ll have to go and watch the show yourself to see what path the Hero takes - or even to see what path you take yourself. The show has been extended until 20 September 2025, so be sure to get your tickets. 

What secrets will you unlock? Who will you give your tokens to? And are you prepared to try and find the exit too?

“The Cardinal”

Written and directed by Kimberley Buckle

Choreographed by Liam Tamejen Gillespie

Performers:
Caya Finn

Gaetan ‘G-Boi’ Musungaie

Henu Baden

Jenna Röll 

Matt Newman

Naoline Quinzin

S’Qhamo Mangcu