Reviewed by Georgia Cassimatis
It’s Time to Play!
It appears the creators of Eternityland have answered the increasing call by Sydneysiders craving a more substantial night out than beer at a bar or wine with a steak.
These guys have gone the full monty and created entertainment with a cocktail, and a twist; a fantastical pop-up bar called The Department of Myth and Legend (DLM), home to your very own personalised walk through theatre extravaganza, known as Eternityland.
What makes this weird, magical place even cooler is that it is like a speakeasy; nestled behind the retro doors of the fashionably corporate Barangaroo. The entry is like a nightclub with security guards and door bitches. In short, the place is a vibe.
….and that’s only the beginning. Meandering into the unknown, DLM had me at the glittery cloud blue bar, neon lights yelling ‘Wonder’, shimmery retro silver curtains, and the retro style dazzle of the bartenders serving up tipple like Pink Gin.
Once we got our buzz on, the doors opened to the much-anticipated world of wonder, Eternityland with its 5000 year old history full of Gods, villlians, heroes, singers and about 20 instagram worthy sets, full of circus, art, burlesque, soundscapes, and secrets,….all at our beck ‘n’ call, with which to create our own adventure.
This was the part where we, as lost patrons, had to make sense of the age old history and guide ourselves throughout the wild, frenetic maze on our own. No one with an ounce of logic was there to help us through; only characters like the Lost Mother who had no idea where she was. Where were we? Who do we talk to? The Cool Cowboy just said hi? Is there a guide? Before long and I was rolling around on a bed dressed in a fake fur coat hugging a unicorn, on the search for a villainous Clown that dangled from a hoop, rubbing shoulders with a couple of minions and sidekicks, and watching the Lazy Knight singing Opera on the staircase.
Not to stop there, I started writing my regrets on a wall, (there were a couple), then knelt before the Knight who insisted I tell her a secret (secrets are big business here), before dressing up in a Zoro like costume, which saw me flying through the air, on a green screen.
By this stage it was all too much for my boyfriend who went to lie on a banana lounge in the cactus room, while I played cards with the Lost Royal while soaking up the sounds of The Money crooning some truly impressive tunes in the piano room. If you’re a self-confessed selfie lover after the next insta-worthy extravaganza, this is for you. If you want to go somewhere fun on a date, this is the perfect place. If you’re with that group of peeps who want to be drip fed colour, visuals, cocktails and characters, or you’re into weird, wacky out of this world experiences, this is your jam.
Creator: Danielle Harvey Art direction: Natalie Verriest Video
design: Sabrina Organo and Club Sandwich Production design: Dan
Porta, Matthew Alberline and Isabel Hudson. Costume design: Mason
Browne Sound design: Julian Wessels
Premiering from August 3 - September 11, sessions run from Wednesday to Sunday, with multiple entry times available: from 6.30-8pm Wednesday - Saturday, and from 2-3.30pm on Sundays.
Tickets start at just $44, and can be booked here:
https://www.eternitylandsydney.com.au/