Petrol Station Tickets

The petrol station may seem like an unlikely location for theatre, but the two have more in common than one might think. Both petrol stations and theatre are social spaces, where people come together to commune, perform, and interact with each other.

Petrol stations, of course, are primarily places where drivers can purchase fuel for their cars. But they are also gathering places where people can grab a snack or a drink, use the restroom, or simply take a break from driving. These functions make petrol stations social spaces, where strangers come into contact with each other in a unique way. Unlike restaurants or bars, petrol stations are not designed for extended stays, which makes interactions among patrons more fleeting but no less significant.

Theatre, similarly, is a social space where performance, interaction, and community-building are prioritized. Audience members attend performances to connect with the actors, the story, and each other. Live theatre is unique in that it creates a shared experience that cannot be replicated through screens or headphones. It brings people together for a collective emotional and intellectual journey.

So where do petrol stations and theatre intersect? One answer is site-specific theatre. Site-specific theatre is a type of performance that is designed specifically for a non-traditional venue, such as a petrol station. By using the location as a backdrop for the performance, site-specific theatre invites audiences to see the space in a new light and to reflect on their relationship with it.

Site-specific theatre is not just about placing actors in unusual locations, however. It is about creating an immersive experience for the audience that expands beyond traditional stage boundaries. Site-specific performances often incorporate the physical space into the storytelling, blurring the lines between what is “performance” and what is “real life.”

For example, a site-specific theatre company might use a petrol station as the setting for a play about a family road trip. The audience would sit in cars parked at the petrol station while the performance takes place around them. Actors might enter and exit cars, climb on top of fuel pumps, or use car horns to signal scene changes. The audience would be a part of the action, not just passive observers.

Site-specific theatre can be challenging to produce, as non-traditional venues often lack essentials like lighting, sound systems, and seating. But these limitations are also what make site-specific performances exciting: they force artists to think outside the box and innovate. By using petrol stations as sites for performance, theatre makers can bring art to unexpected places and create new connections with audiences.