Ahead of its opening at the Sydney Fringe Festival, artist Sarah Francis talks with Manan Luthra about her show Psycho or Psychic.
Manan: What is Psycho or Psychic about?
Sarah: It’s a ‘journey of self’. As Luna discovers something about her that is strange and different from others, she sees a wall too big to climb that separates her from the world where others exist. But then ‘love’ strikes her heart. She leads you through the way she experiences the world, and you soon discover it is vibrant, raw and full of life.
You’ll see stories that the audience will ‘categorise’ into one of these [psycho or psychic] extremes of a large spectrum. These stories might be clear, come as a surprise or be weaved through the narrative of Luna’s experience of the world that you might not have realised the show took a turn until you’re on the other side of the ‘scene’ or show!
Ultimately it’s about the power of love. However, not in a way that is ‘typical’ or expected. It’s better for you to ‘feel’ the experience – which is why the show exists.
You say your show is inspired by real life experiences. Which experiences?
The inspiration to create the show was actually an experience of ‘falling in love’- the first time we met our eyes locked and I felt like, “this guy really knows me”, the whole world melted away. All through a glance. It fascinated me how unreal and different it was to anyone else I had met… and so began my digging into as many ‘unreal’ experiences I’ve had, and stories I’ve shared with others that brought me amazement.
I kept digging and eventually I found my way back to some experiences when I was quite young – predicting events, hour long de ja vu’s and some unimaginable experiences, such as meeting someone and knowing this was the last time I’ll see them alive (well, later realising alive in their body).
In the show there is a story that unfolds based on a work colleague. She was young and had the ‘whole world’ ahead of her. When I knew it was the last time I’d see her alive I tried to ask her if there was anything she wanted to experience before she ‘became an adult’ and work became the focus. She was so at peace, her response was something like “no, I live everyday as if it it’s the most beautiful day there is”. She had no idea how much reassurance it gave me, knowing that when that time comes she will be ready. The kicker was when someone told me she had died. I ‘saw’ her driving on the road, and a ‘lady holding a bag crossing the road’ (a ghost) had stopped and looked at her, standing in the headlights of the car. I knew she saw a ‘kangaroo’ (but it was something else), she tried to swerve to go around it… but lost control of the car and hit a tree, she died on impact. Then I asked a friend, “how did she die?” and they told me that it was a car accident, that she had hit a tree on the way to see her brothers. It was devastating and the whole town mourned her loss.
This event holds a special place in my heart, not only because I felt like I could ‘see’ what happened before knowing the facts, but also because of what happened a few years later – which I share in the show.
How did you develop the show?
I started with one story. In the beginning it was going to be a love story, but I never wanted it to be the ‘main’ attraction. The part of this love story that pulls me is how this world we can see and touch, and the world where we are guided by sense and a ‘pull’ to something ‘invisible’, collide. And so the show began to unfold. The name Psycho or Psychic came early on as I reflected on some of these experiences. I thought to myself, “Wow, am I a psycho or mentally insane?!?” I also worked as a psychic for a few years, so Psycho or Psychic seemed quite fitting and funny.
A few months later I heard a song in my head – Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’. It was stuck in my head until I applied for Sydney Fringe, and it’s the inspiration for the character ‘Evil Luna’.
Different things will ‘pop’ up and I’ll sit with it until it reveals why it’s here and how to ‘use it’. I listen to my inspiration and let myself laugh at ‘dreaming’ the show into being. I think about it all day. I get so close to it that I need space and I start from scratch and rewrite it with different eyes, then I go back through it and ask myself,“Where is my fun? Am I excited about this?” If not, it goes. If I’m laughing when I’m trying to deliver it, it stays. And then it’s about how I can become the character so much I don’t laugh at their ‘personality’ or choices. I really let the characters guide me.
I keep creating and building it one step at a time.
Your show is categorised as physical theatre and circus, spoken word & storytelling, and comedy. How have you combined these?
Great question! Honestly?! Physical theatre wasn’t a separate option so circus had to come along. Please note, you won’t see any circus!
Comedy because I want people to feel like they are allowed to laugh at inappropriate moments and difficult subject matter, and it allows me space to take risks.
Storytelling because my passion lies in crafting a good story to share. Also to reach more variety of audiences as it’s the first time the show is being staged.
Through humility, satire and music choices I see comedic moments. It’s not stand up by any means, but hopefully some people will catch my quirky humour and feel invited to laugh as much as they like. Physical theatre is a part of my discipline. Training as a professional dancer, I feel like movement is much clearer to me than words. Everything is a story and beautiful. I still identify quite a lot with using my body to express emotions and stories. Anyone who knows me well will tell you I tell a 2-minute story over 10 minutes while I laugh about it, dance and act it out, becoming all the characters in the story just so you get a good feel of it haha. It’s a bit manic. Of course, this is a much more polished approach to my mind palace of sharing stories.
But that’s how the script began! A 2-hour show.
You are known for your sound baths. Will we experience some of them?
Am I? Thank you, I’m glad it’s gaining traction. First I was a professional dancer, performing nationally in Perth and Sydney Festivals among other events in WA and the ACT. I still love working as a professional dancer.
It is these experiences and my love of movement that motivates my continued exploration of the human body, which led me to sound bowls back in 2020. The power of listening to specific energy frequencies had profound effects for recovery and finding calmness within my body, helping me to move with greater clarity and freedom.
But no, sound baths are connected to my business ‘Embody your Essence’, assisting neurologically with clients to rediscover their essence and be themselves freely in their bodies, not my performance work. Well, at least not yet anyway.
Holly Rowan is credited as the “Outside Eye”. What does that mean?
Holly and I met back in 2023 at a dance class in Melbourne. We bonded over embodiment practices, dancing and weird and wonderful things about life. Hitting it off so easily, and knowing they are a Theatremaker and Embodiment Practitioner themselves, made the decision to work with Holly very easy. Holly reached out when they saw my post about the show and shared they had previously presented a work that had similar themes and ‘clown’ components, so I knew her input would be invaluable.
We agreed a ‘directors’ role would have more time with the show’s development than we are able to commit to and Holly saw ‘Outside Eye’ as a fit title for the work we are doing together. Essentially, Holly uses their skills to help me unlock parts of the show, characters or staging that I can’t see while being ‘in it’. Ideas I can go further with- because being on the ‘outside’ of the process, they see potential I might have overlooked, and together we flesh out how that looks and feels, keeping true to the show’s integrity.
What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope the experience of watching the show will answer that. I don’t want to force a felt experience by ‘labelling’ an outcome I hope for, I believe that defeats the audience’s journey of discovering it for themselves. However I hope the audience can see how much fun I’ve had in creating it for them, and maybe that will lead the way. But I tell you what! I would love to hear about what the audience takes from it after the show!
8. Sell Psycho or Psychic in a sentence.
“Ever wondered if you’re superhuman? Well, you will after this! What’s your superpower?”
