Everyone loves bubblewrap, but finding joy in a simple cardboard box is generally thought of as a talent unique to childhood. Asking for Trouble's Bubblewrap and Boxes will change all that, with adults and children alike cartwheeling home to make a fort or a plane out of the nearest packaging materials. On a dreary wet morning at the beginning of the Fringe, the warmly-lit set of piled-up boxes was a haven for tense, bedraggled parents and fidgety children. Set in a lost mail room, we meet the tidy and chirpy clerk who makes his home there. Through precise and effective physical expression, we soon learn how he spends his days – endlessly tidying and cleaning his boxes. But when an unexpected parcel arrives in the mail room, and along with it a vivacious and mischievous spirit, his world is turned upside down. The story is simple, and children can easily identify with the feelings of both characters. Parents too will see their children's behaviour reflected and gently satirised by the onstage antics.Staging, lighting, and costume design are quite simply beautiful: a feast for the eyes. Muted brown tones give warmth and restfulness to the scene, as well as providing a stark contrast for the few, well-chosen, red props. Music design is impeccable, delightfully complimenting the actors' precise, energetic clowning and acrobatics. The tumbling is perfect for the space and the audience is soon playing easily into the characters' hands, adults rumbling and children shrieking with laughterThe play is wordless for the majority, and this adds considerably to its success. When speech is used, it is only the reading of letters and postcards. Whilst being an effective tool in character development, the strength of the actors' physical performances meant that speech felt redundant and took away from the immersion in the scene. So what will this hour-long romp teach the kids? To be inventive once again with plain cardboard boxes. To be brave in the face of the unknown. To be just a little bit OCD and make a game out of tidying up. I for one pity the parents of those children who have just been taught a new and particularly noisy way of popping bubblewrap.
