This has got to be one of the most visually mesmerising fifty minutes that you can spend this month. A story of loneliness, love, betrayal and loss is conveyed through a fusion of dance, music and puppetry.
The mystical nature of the plot is matched by the tricks of the body that unfold on stage, as the eyes and minds of the audience are teased with deft conjuring tricks of moving objects. The excitement that filled the auditorium was palpable, and at the show’s end murmurs of utter disbelief were to be heard from all directions.
The ancient and modern are blended beautifully; puppetry and dance are complimented by the visual projections on screens intersecting the stage. The whole show is intricately constructed and each medium used is critical in delivering an interpretative meaning. However it is the movements of the human body that create the moments of poignancy, as the choreography is filled with evocative details capturing an overwhelming sense of sadness. Sadder though are the protagonist’s attempts at humour, which teeter on the brink of slapstick and jar with the overall tone of the performance.
This enchanting production awards its audience with immediate gratification but also benefits from considered reflection post-play. The show is a testimony to the beauty of the human body, as it imagines its limitless ability both to create and perceive.
