Confronting, funny and slightly weird: Brisbane Powerhouse’s One Bottle Later

The mysterious event answered all the questions you went in with and found within, but only if you opened up your mind and a bottle of cheap wine with a stranger.

ONE BOTTLE LATER

Until Sunday, September 20

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

Reviewed by Isabella Magee

AN outgoing and social person, I’ll admit I was feeling a little apprehensive about this one-on-one interactive event with a stranger during the pandemic.

Nevertheless, I was intrigued by how theatricals were going to blend in, and more importantly, I was ready.

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And I soon found out I had to be. Whether on sober terms or pushed a little by a bottle of cheap wine.

A little weird, a little whacky, a little too far into my red wine to mind. Photo: FenLan Photograph

On arrival, I was given a form to fill out on a clipboard, attached to it a pencil.

As I quickly scribbled down my answers to the questionnaire, I felt nostalgic to primary school field trip days.

The only real difference being the ever-present hand sanitisers and socially-distant marks on the floor. Good on them.

The social distancing rules were clearly a focal goal and they were as good as they could be at a social event.

Be prepared to answer some juicy questions alongside the smell of berries in a glass. Photo: FenLan Photograph

Taken in one by one to the one-on-one, hosts remained mute throughout the whole performance, a little awkward and confusing as guidance into a pitch-black room, but I understood the vibe they wanted to achieve by it.

And mostly, the One Bottle Later crew got what they wanted; a mysterious, magical and magnetic atmosphere.

Brisbane Powerhouse’s One Bottle Later mixed performance with interaction, catering to current social distancing demands. Photo: FenLan Photograph

When inside, as I stood 1.5m apart together with 27 other strangers, I started to understand why some, or all of us, may need to be tipsy for what unfolded.

I also realised why, beyond alcohol, the event was 18+.

Let’s just say, I wouldn’t recommend this experience for anyone who’s easily offended or conservative.

There became no privacy or boundaries, besides the mandatory physical distance, between you and your stranger, turned friend One Bottle Later.

The room is dark but also filled with light-hearted humour. Photo: FenLan Photograph

At times, the performance felt unnecessarily placed between interactive components and I wondered if it could have been done differently as, despite being a performance and interactive event, both elements were quite separated.

I don’t want to give all away, as what you took from the night really was left in the hands of your attitude and approach right from the beginning.

Brisbane Powerhouse’s One Bottle Later. Photo: FenLan Photograph

But you can expect laughs, awkward silences, deep questions and socially distant fun at the end.

The 70 minutes really flew by and exposed how well-planned and intelligent The Good Room co-creators are.

Did I feel this way because I was too many red glasses deep? Maybe. Did I enjoy answering questions and talking about myself for so long? Maybe. Would I do it again? Maybe.

Brisbane Powerhouse’s One Bottle Later. Photo: FenLan Photograph