Chronicling the journey of two siblings seeking refuge in the UK, Vox Motus‘ Flight, based on journalist Caroline Brothers‘ novel Hinterland highlights the emotional and physical struggle faced by two young protagonists embarking on an unpredictable journey, unsure of their overall outcome.
In this production of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris, the audience is exposed to war in many forms. Sometimes, it feels like World War I, sometimes more contemporary wars are alluded to in this patchwork display of conflicts. The overall effect displaces the action from any one specific known war, making the story feel more universal and reflecting a more general sense of disaster.
Courtesy of Mihaela Bodlovic.
An aspect of humanity in which we all find ourselves having to deal with at some point or other is that of loss. How each of us deals with mortality is unique to our own personal experiences. How loss is dealt with and viewed upon is also determined by one’s cultural norms and practises – Gregory Maqoma’s Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero observing the role of a professional mourner – a role originating in Egypt , China, Mediterranean and Eastern cultures.
Lynette Wallworth’s emmy-award winning documentary: Collisions, offers an incredibly immersive and awe-inducing experience. Armed with a VR headset and headphones, the audience are plunged into the Australian outback with the freedom of pivoting a full 360 degrees soaking up the beautiful landscape. We follow Nyarri Nyarri Morgan, member of ancient Martu Tribe and we hear his story of how ‘nature and science fatefully collided’.
Courtesy of Piers Mussared.
Technologically impressive, with a fascinating sci-fi concept that ultimately falls short when searching for depth or meaning. Tesseract is divided into two halves like many pieces of conventional theatre, yet more unconventionally, Tesseract’s first act is a 3D film, the second a live performance. Armed with 3D glasses, Charles Atlas’s film exhibits incredibly impressive visuals, the clarity and scope makes for an immersive experience. For want of better terminology, the performers look as though they are truly popping out of the screen in such clear lucidity, far more-so than any 3D cinema experience.
A crisp autumn frost is settling on the forecourt leading to the Barbican Centre. With it’s extensive brutalist architecture, the building itself is a much needed fort against the onslaught of winter. Tucked away in the Barbican Kitchen I am sat with actor Amber James, who in three weeks will be taking to the Barbican stage as Charmian in the RCS’s Antony and Cleopatra. Fresh from a run as Anna in Marlowe’s Dido, Queen of Carthage she’s looking forward to a few weeks of rest before she takes to the stage again. It feels perfect to be meeting Amber at the Barbican, just a stone’s throw away from Guildhall, the training ground that has helped propel her in the illustrious career that is falling at her feet.
Robot: a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer. We often attribute the term to an object that is metallic, moves rigidly and is powered by digital technology. That in part is correct however Blanca Li Dance Company manage to tap into the zeitgeist and grasp onto the fact that a transformation, whether we notice it is happening. In the word’s of company director Blanca Li “Our memory is becoming artificial, our footprints tend to be electronic, our identity is partly digital”.
Ever sit down in the theatre and realise the play is in Russian? Because that will happen if you visit the Barbican Centre and to see Cheek by Jowl‘s Measure for Measure.
