Mercury Rising is a bold new theatre production being created by artists from The Art Factory Supported Studio Wagga, the Sydney/ Wollongong-based re:group performance collective and the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre.
Blending live performance, filmmaking and a creative approach to access and inclusion, the work has been developed across a series of community engagement residencies spanning the past 12 months.
This week, the re:group team is at the Riverina Playhouse for the final residency, as the artists come together to put the finishing touches on Mercury Rising ahead of its 26 November premiere.
The mystery of exactly what happens on stage is part of the fun. Audiences can expect something that sits somewhere between a movie premiere, live theatre, documentary and cult film screening.
Think red carpet glamour, big-screen nostalgia, live performance, filmmaking and plenty of surprises — an experience that invites the artists to throw out the rulebook and have some fun.
Throughout the project, artists from The Art Factory Supported Studio have been exploring their relationships with favourite films, recreating beloved movie moments, performing, filming and experimenting with cameras and production technology alongside the re:group team.
Art Factory Supported Studio Program Coordinator Leanne Dyer says the opportunity has allowed the artists to explore their talents in new ways.
“These artists are amazing artists. Full stop. They have so much creativity, imagination and talent, and it’s been wonderful to see them have the opportunity to really explore that,” Ms Dyer said.
Working alongside a professional performance collective has also given the artists the chance to develop new skills and confidence, while bringing their own humour, interests and ideas into the creative process.
“They’ve developed new skills, tried things they hadn’t done before and grown in confidence throughout the process.”
The project brings re:group’s distinctive approach to live cinema to the Wagga stage. Inspired by film and popular culture, they mash theatre-making and movie-making together to create immersive and irreverent theatre projects that are iconic and sincere in equal measure.
re:group’s Malcolm Whittaker says the collaboration has been a genuine creative exchange.
“Mercury Rising has been such a delight to make because these artists bring an incredible creative energy to the room. We’re not simply bringing our skills to Wagga, we’re learning from the artists just as much as they’re learning from us,” Mr Whittaker said.
That exchange is at the heart of the project, with the artists encouraged to experiment and follow their own ideas as the work takes shape.
“What makes this really exciting is the opportunity to see what happens when you give artists the support and space to experiment and follow their own ideas.”
For Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre Manager Claire Harris, that opportunity is an important part of the Civic Theatre’s role as a home for live performance in the region.
“Mercury Rising is exactly the kind of ambitious, artist-led work we want to see happening here. It’s exciting, it’s unexpected and it gives audiences the opportunity to see these incredible local artists in a whole new light,” Ms Harris said.
The production marks an important moment for the Civic Theatre, placing disability-led performance alongside major national companies in its 2026 program.
“We’re so proud to be part of their journey and we can’t wait to see them take over our stage in November.”
For audiences, Mercury Rising is an invitation to embrace the weird and wonderful and experience something completely different.
It is a night of film, performance, creativity and experimentation — with the Art Factory artists at the centre of it all.
And if there’s one thing Leanne Dyer knows for certain, it’s this: “I can guarantee, it will be entertaining. These guys know how to have fun!”
Mercury Rising premieres at the Riverina Playhouse on 26 + 27 November 2026.
