I really wanted to like this production. There are some very intriguing ideas at work here. What would a matriarchy look like? What pressures are society putting on people today and how is that impacting people’s relationships with each other? Remembering the power of childlike innocence. All very intriguing and worthwhile, but unfortunately, the execution did not meet expectation.

Centred on Alice Night’s debut album of the same name, ‘Culture How Could you?’ tells the story of ‘Lunarium’ – a new colony on the moon, established in a far-away future and set up deliberately as a matriarchy. The work uses music, storytelling and performance art to explore the complications and contradictions that can arise from an experimental new society.

Night teamed up with ARIA-nominated and APRA Award-winning composer, Robert Davidson (Topology) and utilized the talents of Bravo Child (performance artist/poet), Anatole (multi-instrumentalist/composer), ALPHAMAMA (singer/musician) and Ma Ya Ga Ng Re Ne (noise and drone).

No fault can be found with the musical aspect of the performances. Night’s voice is warm and tender. The timber sounds similar to Bertie Blackman’s, but there is a greater fragility there. She is a compelling figure on stage. Robert’s use of double bass compliments her vocal performance adding a base to her voice that is never overwhelming. His Piano and guitar work gently weave in and out of the songs and allows her performance to shine.

Sydney producer Jonathan Baker’s (aka Anatole) soundscapes intersperses Night’s songs and concept art performances, further adding to the etherealness of her singing, while Ma Ya Ga Ng Re Ne’s use of ambient sounds helped the audience feel the strangeness and starkness of outer space. So many great elements thus far, but so many let downs as well...

The problem was that the dialogue was clunky and the performances were over the top. The prayer, which exalted the Baby as the godhead of this new society felt juvenile. With its words displayed on the back screen, the audience was invited to join in – while we all got up, arms outstretched, no one joined in. Projecting the words for the audience only served to show how silly a lot of this was. There were moments when the visuals on the back screen were mesmerising – a contemporary soldier shown firing a rifle in slow motion, and a young girl playing in the sand playing over and over come to mind immediately, but they were not enough to cover up the weakness of the performance art pieces in general. At times the performers broke the 'fourth wall', these pieces felt like an annoying interlude between musical numbers. At one point, Bravo Child, jumps into the audience and takes drinks away from the audience members - trying to express violence and domination over his mate. It was supposed to be confronting - instead it came off as just annoying. I realise themes and ideas Night and Davidson want to tackle are too big to be left to just a gig in a pub –but I was often left wondering if the concept would be stronger without the acting.

A few people stood up for a standing ovation (I dare say, from what I could hear from the punter in front of me, mostly by those who knew the cast personally). The rest of the audience gave a polite, though thorough applause. I have a feeling they, while enjoying the music, were as underwhelmed as I was.

- Nic Keramos