 | | The heart of darkness | |
 |  | | THIS STORY LAST UPDATED:
13 May 2003 1039 BST
A very unusual production comes to the Tobacco Factory in June, which may not be for the faint hearted. | | Killer whales are not the only dangers facing the crew of The Essex in this chilling true story | |  | |
| | But The Watery Part of the World could help keep the Bedminster venue's electricity bill down - because it's performed in total darkness!
By depriving the eye, but concentrating the ear, theatre group Sound and Fury hope to create a rare and thrilling theatrical event.
The play itself is based on a true story, adapted from Herman Melville's Moby Dick and its original sources.
It's set in the 1820s when a Nantucket whaling ship, The Essex, was hunting Sperm Whales in the Pacific.
The boat was attacked and wrecked by an 85ft whale which forced the crew to take to open boats.
Extreme measures
At sea for almost 100 days with limited food and water they were forced by hunger to make grim and extreme decisions!
Using startling hi-tech surround sound, and with music and actors moving around the theatre, Sound and Fury aims to throw the audience right into the heart of the story.
From high up in the ship's crowsnest, to far down beneath the heaving swells of the ocean, this promises to be a journey where the only boundaries are the audience's imagination!
The Watery Part of the World can be seen at the Tobacco Factory in Raleigh Road between Tuesday 10th and Saturday 21st June.
The Onion Bar
Prior to that, another unusual show comes to the Tobacco Factory, which is gaining something of a reputation for the bizarre.
The Onion Bar, performed by the Para Active group, promises to have both the cast and audience in tears.
Visitors will be met at the door by the host, Bogush the Barman, who will take them into a clandestine world where the ritual chopping of raw onion into a sacred paste helps patrons release their emotions and weep.
During the evening the audience is drawn into the private pain of the patrons, Maria and her tragic tale of infanticide and a shy doctor whose whole life is based on a single lie.
Then there's Dimitris who reveals his disgrace on his wedding night and Pieter who recounts a nightmarish story of bullying.
This fusion of dance, music, drama and design can be seen from Thursday 29th May until Saturday 7th June 2003.
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