FRINGEWORLD 2017 – Ecosexual Bathhouse (3 stars)

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Aaaah, the bathhouse – famed location for the sexually curious and bizarre, with the comforting motto ‘what happens in the bathhouse, stays in the bathhouse.’ Perth locals, Pony Express take the modern bathhouse ideal and give it the postmodern treatment – providing a pastiche of typical bathhouse activites (sauna, massage, beds) and eco-sexual practices (caressing plants, mud baths, watching stamens.)

Ecosexual Bathhouse is an experience like no other. Immerse yourself in the pleasure of nature – which goes both ways – there’s consensual leaf stroking, whole swamp experiences, erotic movies featuring nature and even a place to lie and listen to the world around you.

Entering the bathhouse in a small group, you are greeted by a hard-arse ecosexual employee, who gives you the run-down of how the experience is going to work. After being kitted out in various ecosexual attatchments, it’s time to go in. What follows are a variety of installations exploring the themes of an Eco-sex manifesto. The concept is unique and each installation has had obvious thought put into it, however it does seem a bit lacking. Overall, I feel that the ‘experts’ or performers should be guiding the patrons more. It feels like you are just wandering aimlessly and the performers don’t really know how to interact with you whilst remaining in character. If one was led a little more than they would get more out of the experience. It just falls a little short in its delivery.

Ecosexual Bathhouse is a unique and interesting piece of conceptual performance art that explores the relationship between humans and nature.

 

When: 24th – 28th January 2017 | 8pm, 8:30pm, 9pm, 9:30pm, 10pm, 10:30pm

Where: PICA | Fringe Central | PERTH

Tickets: $29

Info: Duration 45 minutes | WA Artist | 18+

Link: https://fringeworld.com.au/whats_on/event/ecosexual_bathhouse/3b0cce18-0aae-4931-9530-40a190080186/