Coming in from the dreary Sydney drizzle, the stark white tent of Polar Force at first became almost like a refuge from the uncertain weather outside. Directed upon entry to remove our shoes, the audience was tunnelled into a space lined by white chairs soaked in cold, dim lighting, with a curious set of industrial equipment used as bespoke instruments – pipes, hoses and wires that stretched out in the middle of the tent as designed by Nick Roux and co-Director Eugene Ughetti. All around, waves lapped at its walls through an eight-channel recording that enveloped the entire space. The field recordings by Philip Samartzis were incredibly rich and high quality, and immersed spectators spectacularly within the environment.

Polar Force. Photo © Bryony Jackson.

Ughetti and Matthias Schack-Arnott seemed more like researchers than percussionists, with sound as consequential to their arctic experimentation. Their first act was suspending two large shards of ice in water – the sounds of cracks and bubbles as they melted were amplified, resonating throughout the space. An incredible sound system made this a physical experience as well,...