Grand architecture, custom costumes and a touch of mystery. For HBT’s gala dinner at Sydney Town Hall, The Play Agency brought the drama of The Phantom of the Opera into the room through bespoke entertainment and our striking Living Lampshade creations.
With the venue’s grandeur setting the scene, our focus was on creating characters that felt part of the world guests were stepping into. Something unexpected, theatrical and worthy of a second look.
At the heart of our creative contribution were three Living Lampshades, bringing costume design and live performance together in one statement.
These creations played with scale, silhouette and movement, transforming a familiar interior detail into a living character. Their presence offered something a static installation never could: the ability to move through the room, interact with guests and become part of the evening as it unfolded.
There is a lovely moment with this kind of entertainment when curiosity turns into recognition. Guests look a little closer, realise there is a performer beneath the creation, and find themselves drawn into the experience. That interaction is where the concept comes to life.
A Phantom of the Opera theme calls for romance, mystery and theatrical flair. Our custom costumes gave us the opportunity to explore those qualities through distinctive shapes and a strong visual presence.
Each look needed to hold its own against the scale of Sydney Town Hall while working as part of a cohesive trio. Just as importantly, the costumes needed to support the performers’ movement and interactions. The design and the performance had to work together.
That balance is central to how we approach bespoke entertainment. A beautiful costume creates the first impression; the character wearing it gives guests a reason to stay engaged.
Alongside the Living Lampshades, a four-piece band brought live music and energy to the dinner. Together, the music and roaming performances gave the evening different layers, with visual moments unfolding around guests as they gathered and celebrated.
Sydney Town Hall provided an extraordinary backdrop. Our role was to respond to that setting with entertainment that embraced its sense of occasion and carried the theme beyond the invitation.
For us, a theme is a creative starting point. It opens up possibilities for characters, costumes and unexpected encounters that make an event feel distinctly its own.
For HBT, that meant bringing a little operatic drama to the dinner through three unforgettable Living Lampshades, custom design and live music.
Concept. Design. Performance. The Play Agency.
