Hide And Seek is a production very much grounded in physical theatre; spoken dialogue is used sparingly and the show’s beautifully emotive soundtrack is only interrupted by pre-recorded disturbances from the outside world. When the audience arrive they are provided with a cushion and encouraged to sit comfortably and the venue, with its billowing white canvas ceiling, really does feel like a safe and protected space.
The set is stunning. A treasure trove of old-fashioned toys, mirrors, lamps, bird cages, dressers and bookcases, almost every prop is used within the show to great effect. A bundled up shirt unfolds to grow from a baby into a child, a talking satchel represents an old-fashioned boss, and a suitcase becomes the helm of a boat. Hide And Seek only works as a piece of theatre if the audience believe in and understand what we are being shown which, thanks to the considerable talent of Catherine Major and Lewis Sherlock as Lucy and Greg, is almost always the case. They fully inhabit the childlike behaviour of their characters, quietly playing one minute then leaping around full of excitement the next. The production focuses in on the way children communicate and express themselves through make-believe, creating stories as a way to understand and interpret situations and environments. There’s a nice scene at the beginning of the production where Lucy and Greg act out the monotonous daily routines of adulthood (alarm, commute, work, tea, work, commute, TV, sleep) which takes on a whole other meaning as the show progresses and the audience starts to realise that the grown-up voices who keep imposing on Greg and Lucy’s simple world are in fact their own adult selves.
The production lags a bit towards the middle; the children re-enact a second story for the audience which loses its charm the second time around but the pace picks up again when they begin to explore the concept of happily ever after. Lucy and Greg act out a perfect adulthood scenario, where dating leads to marriage, which leads to kids who grow up happy and healthy. It’s all very ‘Hi Honey, how was your day?’ but nonetheless beautifully performed. Poignant, moving and extremely touching; I may even have cried a little bit as Greg and Lucy watch their son leave home for university. The fact that their son is represented by a picture-frame demonstrates just how immersive this production is.
