How do the people of a small town find a way to cope when tragedy strikes? Can we trust our own memories? And can an eagle really abduct a young girl? These are just a few of the questions asked by Square Pegs’ brilliantly absurd play. In fast paced, stylized vignettes, the audience is launched into the vibrant, if a little off putting, world imagined by Maddie Wakeling.
From the offset of the performance, physical theatre is the driving force of this production. A mixture of tense music and stunted choreography creates an uneasy atmosphere and draws the audience into the surreal world before them. Although always thought provoking, I did feel that the element of physical theatre was slightly overused and would have more impact if employed more sparingly.
A highlight of this show was the witty and unsettling characters of the ‘story collectors’ who brought an excellent physicality to their performances. In their investigation into the abduction of a young girl, supposedly by an eagle, these ‘collectors’ prompt the townspeople to relive memories, forming a disjointed structure which intelligently conveys how a narrative can become skewed through different perspectives. Although these vignettes vary in impact, I feel that the concept itself has great potential.
The piece dabbles in political commentary, as in light of the ‘eagle attack’ a fear of birds spreads throughout the town. Not only eagles, but even pigeons are seen as a threat, and are scapegoated. Perhaps this idea could have been pushed further, as the scenes that tackled it were certainly the most powerful of the piece.
There is a lot to like about this production. With a unique concept and talented cast (Sammy Wakayu and Freddy Cawdron give standout performances) this play is witty, weird and bursting with potential.
1.Empty Sky is running until the 16th of August at C ARTS | C venues | C aquila on Johnston Terrace. Buy tickets here.
Image provided to The Student by 1. Empty Sky.
