Antler Theatre are no strangers to the Edinburgh Fringe, making their debut with
A thought-provoking and clever piece of theatre that demonstrates the sheer brilliance of the writing, directing and acting
Meet Sophie and Leah. Sophie can’t stop bouncing on a mini trampoline. Leah obsesses over a 1,000 piece puzzle, marvelling at each piece and also providing humorous narratives for the characters. A lot about this allegorical tragicomedy is open to interpretation. We are unsure of where Sophie and Leah are and what the nature of their relationship is. Are they in their flat, a psychiatric ward? Are they sisters, friends, lovers, fellow patients? The trampoline that Sophie Steer impressively bounces on for the entire hour of the play serves as a very intelligent metaphor for possibly addiction, mental illness or isolation. What starts off as a seemingly funny joke turns into a much more serious issue. It is a very powerful illustration of the struggles those who suffer from addiction and mental illness face. It is not so simple to just stop, as easy as it may seem for someone on the outside.
While Leah is unable to understand Sophie’s addiction to the trampoline, Sophie is unable to understand Leah’s fascination with puzzles, but they both try to support one another even though each of them lose their patience at times. They are both isolated in their own lands.
Sophie Steer and Leah Brotherhead do an outstanding job at tackling a very difficult concept. The simplicity of the trampoline and puzzle is genius in highlighting this issue. This play also touches on the difficulties loved ones experience when supporting a family member or friend. This is a thought-provoking and clever piece of theatre that demonstrates the sheer brilliance of the writing, directing and acting Antler Theatre have to offer.
