After the success of their show The Ordinaries...in an awkward silence at last years Fringe, The River People return with another aesthetic treat. This lyrical lullaby of a macabre tale is gracefully articulated through puppetry and song.
Four storytellers, looking like they have just stepped out of a Tim Burton film, explain they have been appointed by the moon to share Lillys story with us. Their seemingly simple set then unfolds into a delicate dolls house and a haunted-looking puppet is brought on. Lilly has lost her father, we are told, and aches desperately for him. Deciding to search for him, Lilly slits her wrists and journeys to the Deadlands. On her quest, she must face various creatures, including the hangmen at the bridge and the infamously scary Rotten Pockets. In the end, it is the moon she must ask for help, but the moon is powerless to bring her father back and Lilly must choose between the living and the dead.
Visually, this is a striking production; the ghostly costumes, delightfully crafted puppets and shadowy lighting design blend perfectly. Live music is added throughout moments of song are slipped seamlessly into the lyrical narration, though I feel more could easily have been added to pick up the pace. The four actors narrate and enact the tale with impressive energy and one of the highlights is when Andy Gray and Joe Bone become the part-human, part-puppet hangmen. Written and directed by Edward Wren, this is a charming and imaginative play about loss thats definitely worth seeking out.
