All I knew when I got to the theatre was that it was a piece of Total Theatre and that it would involve dancing, scenes of a sexual nature and strong language. What I didn’t realise was to the extent that these were carried out.
As I walked into the auditorium I was taken back by the set. It just looked like a kitchen….in a box…tipped on its side. But the use made of it by the seven cast members was amazing. The way they in cooperated such a simple kitchen design to stage such a fabulous piece, was applaudable.
A simple love story was transformed into a piece of epic theatre, using several different dramatic techniques, including non-naturalistic approaches such as Artaud and Brecht and naturalistic styles like the work of Stanislavski.
The use of lights worked well, from projecting images on to some of the set, to spotlight moments. The lights also captured each mood, having different colour cover on the stage for different moments in the piece.
The costumes for the two main characters were very simple, like everyday clothing, making them stand out when the whole cast were on stage. The rest of the cast wore black which emphasised there position in the piece.
The choreography of the piece was so cleverly done, with each step done with such precision. The strength of the cast was also outstanding, hanging from ropes and bars that were suspended so high up on the stage. They also danced on top of the set, which must have been daunting for those cast members throwing themselves about!
Until now, I had never experienced a piece of Live Total Theatre, but this was one of the most amazing pieces I have seen.
