Watching A Little Space made me think of Marmite. Whether they loved it or hated it, the audience were already debating its merits whilst leaving the auditorium and then all the way out of the theatre. And then all the way home. And then maybe some more after that. It proved so divisive that some of the audience had raised their clapping game to hands above their heads, while others were barely clapping at all, having only just been woken up by the noise.
Nobody is able to follow the whole thing, or see the same show as each other.
It is a piece of theatre defined mostly by what it isn’t, rather than what it is. It doesn’t have a narrative, it doesn’t have dialogue, it doesn’t really even seem to have a point. Instead it’s a kaleidoscope exploration of themes, blurring lines between reality and metaphor, fantasy and fact, natural and supernatural, conscious and unconscious. Nobody is able to follow the whole thing, or see the same show as each other. I thought one of the characters was struggling with her mental health, my friend thought she was being haunted, and another that there was a kidnapping involved. At least we all found her intriguing.
Hers is one of five committed and dynamic performances, but it is the technical aspects which shine. Chris Swain’s lighting design takes centre stage, cinematically creating a character of the beautiful set, and maximising the effect of each striking image. Subversive spectacle is undoubtably what the company does best, as the visuals are its strongest suit. These are supported by a continuous piece of original soundscape composed by Dave Price. It was so pensive and flowing I wouldn’t question it on a Spotify study playlist, and appreciated its contribution to the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the actors weren’t always in time.
I would recommend seeing it if you’re a fan of physical theatre, but if words like ‘experimental’ and ‘ambiguous’ turn you off, definitely don’t. The easily bored will struggle to focus on the sometimes random and inconsequential action. The undiscerning will be washed away by its whimsy and wonderment. There are certainly worse ways to spend an evening.
