After Taylor Mac and Matt Ray’s Bark of Millions premiered on October 20 at the historic Sydney Opera House, critics weighed in with universal acclaim. Some key press:
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[4 stars] “Bark of Millions is so extravagant, so splendidly oracular, that even the most facile reviewer would have difficulty diminishing its scale. In plain terms, it is part opera, part musical theatre – and part revue, variety show, open mic night, kumbaya circle, and ritualistic offering. It encompasses the minutiae of existence – the trivial indignities and triumphs which comprise a day – as well as the entire weight of queer history.” — The Guardian
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[5 stars] “Ultimately we’re here for the music, and the music is mesmerizing. People often describe Mac and Ray’s previous show, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, as a “religious” experience and Bark of Millions has that energy too. This feels like a cross between the best house party you’ve ever been to, a tent revival, a hedonistic nightclub, and a ritualistic gathering: it’s queer church at its ecstatic best.” — The Queer Review
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“Mac and Ray want to transform our modes organisation, of sociality and of belief, so that the lessons of queerness can be applied for all, not least of which is that our human propensity for exclusion must be banished without hesitation, once and for all.” — Suzy Wrong
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[4 stars] Bark of Millions embodies this cheeky resistance by constantly slipping away from and around what it’s really ‘about’, switching genres halfway through songs, building and stripping layers of vocal harmony, pulling band members out of their dark corners, and parading an array of increasingly elaborate costumes that later find themselves slumped on the floor. But it isn’t just Taylor Mac – the show is a glorious collaboration with co-creator, musician, music director (et al) Matt Ray, costumer Machine Dazzle, and a 22-strong, variously queer, and impossibly excellent ensemble. — Limelight Magazine
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“Songs of sensitivity, wit and heart keep ringing out as Mac and Ray’s queer canon offer an abundance of entertainment and ideas to soak up. For that, a zesty band of eight musicians who partake in the festive feel – separated on both sides of the concert hall stage – create a rousing musical landscape guided by Ray’s winning handiwork on piano and keyboards.” — Australian Arts Review