The Forest
UMAC acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we work. We pay respect to their Elders past and present, and their enduring traditions of knowledge sharing, performing and storytelling on this land.
Actors name
Chars name
UMAC and RISING present
THE FOREST
Lucy Guerin Inc’s hallucinatory dance work ventures deep into the sentient heart of the forest.
Union Theatre , Arts and Cultural Building
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When
Where
Union Theatre
Arts and Cultural Building
The University of Melbourne
15 Monash Road, Parkville VIC 3010
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Lucy Guerin Inc returns to RISING with the premiere of a hallucinatory dance piece. A winding trail into the sentient heart of the forest to decipher its ongoing hold on the human imagination.
The soft crunch of moist soil. The twitch of unseen creatures. The glimmer of leaves in the moonlight. This premiere dance work from renowned contemporary choreographer Lucy Guerin pursues a dark trail to explore our place in the natural world.
Our deep connection to trees has existed throughout history, together with the symbolism of the forest as a vast, unknown labyrinth, populated with unsettling encounters with the non-human. Once considered boundless, but now increasingly under threat, forests have become fragile, contested ecosystems with an uncertain future. The Forest leads us deeper into the thicket of the human subconscious, where myths, folk tales and eco-horror manifest.
The Forest is part of the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale, curated and hosted by RISING.
Tickets
Tickets
$39 - $59
RISING booking fees may apply
Package Offer: UMAC Dance Double
See Into the Woods and The Forest for $75, available now via rising.melbourne.
Duration
Approximately 70 minutes, without an interval.
Content Warnings
This production contains theatrical haze.
Accessibility
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Accessible toilet available
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Infared Hearing Assist System
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Companion tickets available
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Wheelchair accessible
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Registered assistance animals welcome
This project was supported by LGI’s Commissioning Circle and would not have been possible without the generous support of the late Chloe Munro AO and WXYZ Studios.
The development of this project was supported by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc., RISING, Perth Festival and Adelaide Festival; and by University of Melbourne Arts and Culture (UMAC).
Lucy Guerin Inc is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body; by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria; and by the City of Melbourne.
Cast & Creatives
Lucy Guerin with the dancers
Choreography
Amber McCartney, Geoffrey Watson, Michelle Heaven, Oliver Savariego, Sebastian Geilings, Tayla Gartner, Tra Mi Dinh
Dancers
Paul Lim
Lighting Design
Eugyeene Teh
Set & Costume Design
Matthias Schack-Arnott
Composition & Sound Design
Eugyeene Teh & Simon Burgin
Video Design
Adena Jacobs
Dramaturg
Nate Evers
Production Manager
Zsuzsa Gaynor Mihaly
Stage Manager
Estelle Conley
Producer
Ally Harvey
Executive Producer
RISING 2026
Into the Woods
A visceral duet by choreographer Melanie Lane that reclaims stories of women lost to witch hunts.
The Forest
Lucy Guerin Inc’s hallucinatory dance work ventures deep into the sentient heart of the forest.
See all upcoming events
Lucy Guerin Inc returns to RISING with the premiere of a hallucinatory dance piece. A winding trail into the sentient heart of the forest to decipher its ongoing hold on the human imagination.
The soft crunch of moist soil. The twitch of unseen creatures. The glimmer of leaves in the moonlight. This premiere dance work from renowned contemporary choreographer Lucy Guerin pursues a dark trail to explore our place in the natural world.
Our deep connection to trees has existed throughout history, together with the symbolism of the forest as a vast, unknown labyrinth, populated with unsettling encounters with the non-human. Once considered boundless, but now increasingly under threat, forests have become fragile, contested ecosystems with an uncertain future. The Forest leads us deeper into the thicket of the human subconscious, where myths, folk tales and eco-horror manifest.
The Forest is part of the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale, curated and hosted by RISING.
Cast & Creatives
Lucy Guerin with the dancers
Choreography
Amber McCartney, Geoffrey Watson, Michelle Heaven, Oliver Savariego, Sebastian Geilings, Tayla Gartner, Tra Mi Dinh
Dancers
Paul Lim
Lighting Design
Eugyeene Teh
Set & Costume Design
Matthias Schack-Arnott
Composition & Sound Design
Eugyeene Teh & Simon Burgin
Video Design
Adena Jacobs
Dramaturg
Nate Evers
Production Manager
Zsuzsa Gaynor Mihaly
Stage Manager
Estelle Conley
Producer
Ally Harvey
Executive Producer
RISING 2026
Into the Woods
A visceral duet by choreographer Melanie Lane that reclaims stories of women lost to witch hunts.
The Forest
Lucy Guerin Inc’s hallucinatory dance work ventures deep into the sentient heart of the forest.
See all upcoming events