In Mexico on the second of November the people celebrate the day of the dead. Everyone enjoys the fiesta of flowers, puppets of dead relatives, dancing, drinking and generally having a good time. More importantly the dead are remembered by those who loved them. Despite the joyous occasion Gabriel cannot join in, the memories of losing his parents are too bitter. Instead he lets his imagination run wild, reading comic books and imagining himself a stronger person, until he becomes utterly detached from the normal way of life. He begins to drag his caring Auntie down with him too, his escapism damaging others around him as well as preventing him from moving on.The scene is set using curtains on a string, they are all in rich colours and the cast weave in and out of them, creating a Mexican street with wonderful effects. This is a show of great colour with puppets and flowers giving it a wonderful charm. Much of the storytelling was achieved through the use of the puppets, and although this was the slowest part of the show requiring the most attention, it still suited the atmosphere well. These points of the show have the potential to leave you in the lurch because of the immediacy of the shift in dynamics, but if you can embrace it then it will add to your overall enjoyment. There was some wonderful acting, with the performers changing between many characters seamlessly. It did well to embrace Mexican traditions in delivering a believable fulfilling story in a show of strong colour and energy.
