We This Way

A shamelessly monotonous cycle of intrigue, We This Way casts Seth Kiebel in a haunting light, his deadpan but deft delivery commanding an hour of interactive, communal ‘point-and-click’ adventure. We direct proceedings by waving an old-school glowstick corresponding to either an orange or blue light, signalling one of two decisions, though you can’t rule out being overridden by the majority. We travel through suitcase portals and on nauseatingly rickety trains, using only the soloist’s storytelling to guide us.

Aside from the affectionate ‘boings’ and the occasionally transportative power of sparkling scenery, this experience feels predominately like a test of endurance.

There were noticeable chuckles as the narrative looped round, but these only signposted this show’s divisiveness. It’s justifiably repetitive, in spite of the surprising jumps of scale and perspective. The bare-bones staging (two Anglepoise-style lamps and a nondescript desk) prove that the art is in the conjuring of the tale. But a question remains over whether an audience can put up with the boredom to reach the philosophical meta-theatrical enlightenment Kiebel proffers.

Somewhat lazily-inserted mythological elements compound the concern over this performance’s overzealous expansiveness. The core promise of interactivity is lost towards the end, and is also never engaged fully: when Kiebel describes ‘flickering fluorescent lights’ one feels that glowsticks could provide the perfect audience-driven, dynamic visualisation. Each spectator vote requires a split-second hand count which gets a little fatiguing – presumably more so for Kiebel.

Movement and action are what We This Way lacks, surprising given the initial promise of group exploration and discussion. Aside from the affectionate ‘boings’ and the occasionally transportative power of sparkling scenery, this experience feels predominately like a test of endurance.