Join three performers in the surreal, interactive and totally mad ritual of Uniformation Day. An announcement is made before entering the theatre about the importance of this event and ‘the great decision’ that is to be made by every audience member at the end of the show. The play takes the form of a futuristic religious ritual, set in a post-Earth world. The three performers, after greeting the audience in white uniforms, reveal themselves fully and the madness begins. Each character has a defining weakness or obsession, which is then the backbone of the exploration through six absurd levels, or challenges, to reach ‘Uniformation’ or to decide whether life is worth living (the big decision made individually at the end). The interludes between the levels are separated by audience members coming down and reading passages they were given at the start, taken from the religious book of the founders Cheryl and Steve (don’t ask). The audience participation goes further at the mid-interlude, with a performer asking the audience to help sweep the stage, and further still at the end when you have to choose to stay or leave the space. The most powerful part of the show features a human-shaped and -sized doll made from clear plastic. As one character interacts with it the other two performers become its manipulators, in a way symbolising the gratification of each character’s defining flaw before it becomes lifeless. These interactions shine through the madness and have clarity, something the performance as a whole struggles with.The absurdness of the piece starts when entering the space and does not end until leaving. The world the performers are trying to create is not communicated or explained well enough, leaving a feeling of isolation amongst the viewers. A bigger audience may have helped, however, this is not something that can be relied on.
