The Nervous Atmosphere
Newsletter
Art Music
Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat and Chamber Made Presents
The Nervous Atmosphere
By Zoë Barry
01 Aug 2026
Sessions
Saturday
August 01, 2026
19:30 – 20:30
Tickets
August 01, 2026
19:30 – 20:30
Information
Show type
Art Music
duration
60 minutes, no interval
Location
Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat
Time
Bars Open: 6.30PM
Show Time: 7.30PM
Show Time: 7.30PM
Prices
ON SALE APRIL 2026
Suitable for
Recommended 8+
Additional information
Content Warnings: The Nervous Atmosphere plays with degrees of intensity in sound and light. The intensity sometimes manifests as sudden and loud sound, extremes of brightness and blackout, and strobe effects.
The Nervous Atmosphere is a solo performance by cellist, composer and theatre-maker Zoë Barry. Drawing on three personal encounters with lightning and the curious events that unfolded in their aftermath, Barry explores the awe, rupture and isolation of confronting forces beyond our control.
At its core, the work is a meditation on connection—to nature, to the ground upon which we stand, to oneself and others. Bosco Shaw's sculptural lighting design sets Barry amidst the storm itself, atop the clouds as if conducting lightning with the sweep of her bow.
Through storytelling, live cello and striking visual design, The Nervous Atmosphere conjures landscapes both internal and external: the immense power and beauty of a thunderstorm, alongside the disorienting psychological impacts of a close encounter with nature.
'Vulnerable questions about humanity, survival and the very nature of existence itself.’ — The Age
‘Bosco Shaw’s remarkable set and lighting design is hallucinatory.’ — The Saturday Paper
‘How a show that is a harrowing history of nerves manages to nonetheless convey the brilliancy of light is a true mystery that merits watching this electric piece of performance art.’ — Arts Hub
Content Warnings: The Nervous Atmosphere plays with degrees of intensity in sound and light. The intensity sometimes manifests as sudden and loud sound, extremes of brightness and blackout, and strobe effects.
The Nervous Atmosphere is a Regional Exclusive at Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat
At its core, the work is a meditation on connection—to nature, to the ground upon which we stand, to oneself and others. Bosco Shaw's sculptural lighting design sets Barry amidst the storm itself, atop the clouds as if conducting lightning with the sweep of her bow.
Through storytelling, live cello and striking visual design, The Nervous Atmosphere conjures landscapes both internal and external: the immense power and beauty of a thunderstorm, alongside the disorienting psychological impacts of a close encounter with nature.
'Vulnerable questions about humanity, survival and the very nature of existence itself.’ — The Age
‘Bosco Shaw’s remarkable set and lighting design is hallucinatory.’ — The Saturday Paper
‘How a show that is a harrowing history of nerves manages to nonetheless convey the brilliancy of light is a true mystery that merits watching this electric piece of performance art.’ — Arts Hub
Content Warnings: The Nervous Atmosphere plays with degrees of intensity in sound and light. The intensity sometimes manifests as sudden and loud sound, extremes of brightness and blackout, and strobe effects.
The Nervous Atmosphere is a Regional Exclusive at Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat
Cast & Creatives
Zoë Barry
Performer
Performer
Concept, Composition Text and Performance
Zoë Barry
Direction and dramaturgy
Ingrid Voorendt
Set and Lighting Design
Bosco Shaw
Sound Designer
Jed Palmer
Costume Designer
Renate Henschke
Sound Dramaturgy
Tamara Saulwick
Cultural Interpreter
Jason Tamiru
Young Voice
Goldie Palmer
Partners
Zoë is a cellist, composer, theatre maker and educator. She has been performing and making works for 30 years. She creates for chamber music, film, theatre, installation, and audio-led immersive and participatory works in site specific and digital spaces.
Her practice is devised and collaborative, drawing on composition, sound design, writing, performing and directing. She has a degree in cello performance and ethnomusicology and received further training in baroque and Turkish classical repertoire. She has performed/ recorded with John Cale, Mick Harvey, Australian Art Orchestra, Sia, Thelma Plum, Missy Higgins, Augie March, Meow Meow, and Iranian trio Dafta Aval. Zoë is a founding member of The Letter String Quartet, composing and commissioning new works for strings, voices and electronics. She composes and co-creates with theatre and dance companies including Malthouse, STCSA, Brink, Rawcus, Restless Dance Theatre, Patch Theatre, and Back To Back Theatre. Recent prokects with Back To Back Theatre include RADIAL with Melbourne Fringe, Dreams Feel Real When You Are In Them..., Platform Gallery, Mountains Rise, a four hour live sonic installation for Geelong After Dark, and facilitating workshops for CAMP.
Together with Ingrid Voorendt Zoë co-founded theatre company Ladykillers, receiving triennial funding and touring ambitious, form-bending worlds nationally and internationally. She has been commissioned to make large scale public participatory works by Melbourne Recital Centre, the Federation Handbells, NGV, Melbourne Museum and The Song Room. Zoë is a key creative with Threshold, creating audio–led digital theatre experiences for families in their homes, including Mountain Goat Mountain(presented by over30 festivals and venues internationally, and translated into Mandarin) and Glow.
Her practice is devised and collaborative, drawing on composition, sound design, writing, performing and directing. She has a degree in cello performance and ethnomusicology and received further training in baroque and Turkish classical repertoire. She has performed/ recorded with John Cale, Mick Harvey, Australian Art Orchestra, Sia, Thelma Plum, Missy Higgins, Augie March, Meow Meow, and Iranian trio Dafta Aval. Zoë is a founding member of The Letter String Quartet, composing and commissioning new works for strings, voices and electronics. She composes and co-creates with theatre and dance companies including Malthouse, STCSA, Brink, Rawcus, Restless Dance Theatre, Patch Theatre, and Back To Back Theatre. Recent prokects with Back To Back Theatre include RADIAL with Melbourne Fringe, Dreams Feel Real When You Are In Them..., Platform Gallery, Mountains Rise, a four hour live sonic installation for Geelong After Dark, and facilitating workshops for CAMP.
Together with Ingrid Voorendt Zoë co-founded theatre company Ladykillers, receiving triennial funding and touring ambitious, form-bending worlds nationally and internationally. She has been commissioned to make large scale public participatory works by Melbourne Recital Centre, the Federation Handbells, NGV, Melbourne Museum and The Song Room. Zoë is a key creative with Threshold, creating audio–led digital theatre experiences for families in their homes, including Mountain Goat Mountain(presented by over30 festivals and venues internationally, and translated into Mandarin) and Glow.
Zoë has performed in Threshold’s Rain: for Babies And Their Carers across Australia, Hong Kong, Macau and the Lincoln Centre, NY, most recently a sold out season at Sydney Opera House . She has appeared in festivals including Dark MOFO, MONA FOMA, Next Wave, Revelations Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Auckland, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals FOLA and Midsumma.
Zoë directed The Boy Who Loved Tiny Things (commissioned by ArtPlay, Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens, South Australian Museum) and Howling Like A Wolf, a co-production between Restless Dance Theatre, Rawcus, No Strings Attached and Company @. Zoë’s gallery commissions include Bendigo Gallery, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Kyneton Contemporary Art Triennial and Neoteric (Adelaide Festival).
Film compositions include Animals- Sundance, The Infinite Man- SXSW, Georgie Mattingley’s The New World Order, Dark MOFO, and feature documentary Ukraine Is Not A Brothel- Venice Film Festival, Winner, ACTAA Best Documentary. Awards include the 2022 Green Room award, Best Participatory Work, for The Ballroom, the 2022 David Harold Tribe Sculpture Prize, 2021 Telstra ARIA Music Teacher of The Year, the 2020 Ruby Award, Best Festival Work for Patch Theatre’s The Lighthouse, The 2011 Helpmann Award For Best Children’s Presentation and the 2013 Victor Award, Best Showcase at IPAY for Patch Theatre’s Me And My Shadow, and the Critic’s Circle Award, Best Onstage Music Performance for State Theatre Company of SA’s The Merchant Of Venice.
Zoë is the recipient of Chamber Made’s 2022 Orange House by The Sea Artist Residency, creating a new opera work with director Sarah Giles, and is a member of RMIT’s CRIMP LAB and Shifting and Stirring
Zoë directed The Boy Who Loved Tiny Things (commissioned by ArtPlay, Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens, South Australian Museum) and Howling Like A Wolf, a co-production between Restless Dance Theatre, Rawcus, No Strings Attached and Company @. Zoë’s gallery commissions include Bendigo Gallery, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Kyneton Contemporary Art Triennial and Neoteric (Adelaide Festival).
Film compositions include Animals- Sundance, The Infinite Man- SXSW, Georgie Mattingley’s The New World Order, Dark MOFO, and feature documentary Ukraine Is Not A Brothel- Venice Film Festival, Winner, ACTAA Best Documentary. Awards include the 2022 Green Room award, Best Participatory Work, for The Ballroom, the 2022 David Harold Tribe Sculpture Prize, 2021 Telstra ARIA Music Teacher of The Year, the 2020 Ruby Award, Best Festival Work for Patch Theatre’s The Lighthouse, The 2011 Helpmann Award For Best Children’s Presentation and the 2013 Victor Award, Best Showcase at IPAY for Patch Theatre’s Me And My Shadow, and the Critic’s Circle Award, Best Onstage Music Performance for State Theatre Company of SA’s The Merchant Of Venice.
Zoë is the recipient of Chamber Made’s 2022 Orange House by The Sea Artist Residency, creating a new opera work with director Sarah Giles, and is a member of RMIT’s CRIMP LAB and Shifting and Stirring