We’re waiting outside a 5 story carpark in central Newcastle (NSW). At night. Everyone’s dressed up, this is a big event. I’ve got no idea what’s about to happen, but there have been rumours of cling wrap. And everybody’s been saying, “Are you going to Mothlight?” So here we are.

Walking up the stairs in the dark, we enter a strange world, Imagine the world of a moth nest, with webbing and cocoons. There is a lot of cling wrap here, perhaps hundreds of dollars worth of cling wrap, strung from pole to pole across the car park, between the pillars. And in the middle, a figure standing swathed entirely in plastic, suspended from a long cling wrap rope.

They let us walk around and explore for half an hour before anything happens. The crowd mills around at the sign of any kind of movement or light. I’m scared for the performer wrapped in plastic, and feeling protective when i see people reaching for their cameras. Later i found out the “no camera” policy was to prevent the clicking camera sound, and i’m wishing i’d taken a bunch of images.

And of course because i’ve found my way to the front row, i’m the first person called on for audience participation. Naomi Moth takes my hand and shows me how to clutch Skye Moth’s arm – along with 3 other volunteers – as she does all kinds of circus tricks along the long cling wrap rope attaching him to the wall. Beforehand, i was worried about people touching this rope, and now she’s jumping up and down on it.

The whole experience is totally engrossing.

Before too long, Skye Moth is walking on the ceiling and juggling enormous moth balls with his feet. Together they ceiling-walk into a lift and disappear.

Turns out they’ve performed this all around the world. Here’s a video from previous showing:

..and a set of production photos too:

Link to the production photos at flickr.

All taken from Skye’s own site.