The Encounter

The Encounter tells the story of National Geographic photographer Loren McIntyre and his experience spending time with the Mayoruna people deep within the Brazilian Amazon.

Based on Petru Popescu’s book, Amazon Beaming, co-founder of the company Complicite Simon McBurney endeavours to ask the hard questions:

How much of what we experience permeates our grey matter?

Do we filter facts by how they affect us personally?

How important is time, or rather does time exist at all?

What makes this narrative so phenomenal is its presentation; the audience is required to wear headphones throughout the performance, as we are exposed to binaural technology (3D audio). We are asked to use our imaginations with the help of the text and sounds being made upon the stage and beamed through our headsets.

Footsteps can be heard as McIntyre walks through the jungle. Birds and other wildlife seem incredibly close as he mirrors their sounds using his voice and other props.

As McIntyre takes us through his story, we can hear the desperation in his voice as he tries to understand a civilisation so different to his own; a tribe poisoned by capitalism, as their environment is destroyed by the greed of modernity.

The experience is humbling and frightening, and raises more questions than it answers.

The show is performed by actor Richard Katz, who has been a part of the concept since its inception. Katz is relatable in his portrayal of the photographer and well-rehearsed in his sometimes-manic characterisation. His endurance is unbelievable and use of the whole stage admirable. He captures the minds of the audience for close to 2 hours with his gripping retelling of the close to death ordeal.

I experienced the wild weather of the jungle, even though I was never there; I felt the hot breath of the narrator, even though I was nowhere near him and I heard the voice of Loren McIntyre, even though I’ve never met him.

The experience of this journey is only limited by one’s imagination.

Kerry Cooper

Phgotographer: Shane Reid