Dramatist, director, actor and founder of Complicite theatre, Simon McBurney performs his show The Encounter in Athens for the first time. Inspired by the novel, Amazon Beaming by Petru Popescu, The Encounter is a solo performance by McBurney exploring theatrical narratives, new technology and audio-visual forms.
The work relates to the true story of a National Geographic photojournalist, Loren McIntyre, who in 1969 disappeared into the rainforests between Peru and Brazil on an assignment to find the mythical source of the Amazon. Rescued by the members of an unknown tribe, he was initiated through their rituals into a strange, consciousness-expanding experience.
A sensory experience of the Amazon with Simon McBurney. Photograph: courtesy of Onassis Cultural Centre, © Robbie Jack
McBurney promises audiences a similar experience. Distinguished sound-designer Gareth Fry (London Olympics, 2012) uses advanced binaural technology to create a 3D-audio soundscape of the primeval and endangered Amazon ecosystem.
An international co-production with the Edinburgh International Festival, the Onassis Cultural Centre and the Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne.
Director and Performer: Simon McBurney
Co-director: Kirsty Housley
Set Design: Michael Levine
Sound Design: Gareth Fry, Pete Malkin
Lighting: Paul Anderson
Projection: Will Duke
Director’s Assistant: Jemima James
