'Filth, ' devised by Terrapin Puppet Theatre and directed by the company's Artistic Director Annette Downs for secondary schools, is touring throughout Tasmania to halls and gymnasiums. Along with the director, the team who created 'Filth' were: Designer Greg Methe, Trainee Designer Hanna Parssinen, Dramaturg Valerie Foley, Musical Director Don Hopkins, Production Assistant Leesa Nash and Performers Kirsty Grierson, Melinda Mills and Phillip Mitchell.

 The production is designed not for a traditional 'theatre' space or, as in many school touring productions, to try to recreate such a space in the school environment with audience in one place and performers in another. 'Filth ' has been defined as arena theatre, the performance taking place in, on and around the audience. The audience also moving through the space following the performers, keeping out of their way, watching or not watching, choosing one performer in one area over another.

 At this performance I saw them often talking amongst themselves, perhaps about the show or perhaps not. It was evident that students could and did move in and out of focusing on the events that were taking place around them and that this was part of the experience that Terrapin was trying to create for them.

 'Filth's' Teachers' Notes describe this process as being essential to ensuring: "that we were working on a series of accurately sourced perceptions of young people, their concerns, their dreams and their challenges."

My major criticism of the production was that the images were not strong enough and lacked a lasting impact. I left feeling a little unsatisfied, the experience was one 'in the moment' but not one to take away with me and draw meaning from.

 The structure of the play is likened to a series of video clips, with each scene a small play within itself. It has no through narrative and does not attempt to create characters for the audience to identify with in any ongoing way. The performers are vehicles creating images and moving on to the next scene in an almost perfunctory way. This is not meant as a negative criticism as this was a deliberate stylistic choice and helps to create the tension and level of intrigue that I found exciting during the performance.

 I am reminded that I am writing for a puppetry journal and should at least mention the art form in this discussion. 'Filth' is probably best described as visual and physical theatre using elements of object theatre and puppetry throughout to create its spectacle. It is this spectacle that did not quite reach its mark for me. That is not to say there were not moments where the design and visual aspects produced attention-catching imagery. The initial scene of the production, created through black fabric and faceless silver masks similar to those worn during fencing matches, was one of these. The students enter the space to find six shrouded and faceless forms in the centre; the music is loud and dynamic surrounding them.

 Dolls and other toys were used as puppets in a variety of scenes and a bunraku-style, large skeletal puppet dramatically breaks apart into three pieces, each piece undertaking its own investigation of the audience. Again I would have to say that many of the images were not strong enough, after the initial response there was not enough to take you further. Particularly using items such as large pieces of clear plastic hurled around at a fast and furious pace and three long poles attempting to play and dance with the audience.

 My experience at the performance was only one of approximately 120 students and I felt their response to the performance was positive and appreciative. I am sure there was much for them to take away from 'Filth' if only in terms of discussion on theatrical forms and styles, use of space and imagery. The music and soundscape of the play was loud, confronting and energising, occasionally using contemporary tracks that the students would be very familiar with. As an attempt to speak to young people at their level, to compete with the pace of music video and computer imagery 'Filth' should be successful. I can see the potential for Terrapin to take this style of work even further in the future and I certainly hope they do.