Theatre Ad Infinitum have been a Fringe favourite for years; creating thought provoking and beautiful shows to touch both your heart and your mind.
A mesmerising show by one of the most innovative theatre companies around.
Everyone has lost someone and can relate to the story of an elderly man, William played by George Mann, who writes and directs here too, not being able to move on after the loss of his wife, Rose played by Deborah Pugh. The movement and music performed by Sophie Crawford work together seamlessly to bring to life William and Rose and their lives together through the years.
As there are no words, every single movement and moment counts and each one is perfectly placed and timed. There is nothing extraneous or unnecessary. The performers move from moment to moment with the use of breath and some incredible mask work. It can be hard to find the words when talking about grief or loss and Translunar Paradise reminds us of that. They say that around seventy percent of communication is understood by just body language, and it is easy to see how in this show. Every single part of the non-verbal communication is understood.
But it is not all doom and gloom, there are plenty of moments of joy within their story. Mann uses comedy to bring some light relief and fully round his characters. William and Rose are three dimensional and you completely believe the transition from old to young that happens within a matter of seconds.
Although the show is the same as the one performed here in 2011, something seems to be missing. It is still a wonderful show but it seems to have lost the spark it had six years ago, which is a shame. That being said, it is still a mesmerising show by one of the most innovative theatre companies around.
