Watching No Place Like Home was an experience unlike any other I’ve had so far at the Fringe. A show that fuses spoken word, projections, music and dance, it depicts the story of two men on a night out in a gay club. On the surface they're both very different, but the story brings out the similarities in them that unite them as victims to a different narrative, this one written by society.
Deeply emotional and visually stunning, there are certainly many moments from this production that will stay with me for a very long time
The complexity of Roberts’ performance which encapsulated the playful, yet at times brutal tones of the language which only continued to grow throughout. I was floored by the true craftsmanship that went into the visual composition binding projection and shadow with the on-stage choreographed movement, and I commend the bravery and skill that it takes to pull off a performance of that level on a completely bare stage with the only prop being a hat!
I feel as though, on the surface it doesn’t resemble what you may expect from a five-star show, however, as someone who normally always has something to criticise about the performances I watch (no matter how trivial), I must confess there was nothing about this production that I could justifiably argue against. I believe, in part, this may be because the style of the show, something I am unable to pin down to one word, meant that any of the usual critiques I would make were fully justified in relation to the conceptual design and genre of this unique experience. It felt almost as if you were watching a video or a film, but simultaneously aware of the fact that you were sitting in a theatre, with the performer there in front of you.
This style of performance may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but no mater your personal preferences, the quality of writing, performance, and design in No Place Like Home must be recognised. Deeply emotional and visually stunning, there are certainly many moments from this production that will stay with me for a very long time.
