Book of Dew
Zoo Playground
Produced by Tide & Foam Productions; created and performed by Sid Ahang and Connor Lifson “Book of Dew” is miniature choreography of objects and the human body in an intimately staged performance at Zoo Playground. Tide & Foam Productions creates works of “theatrical speculation” across media. We are drawn to the magic of the uncanny and the delight of the unexpected. Their website tells us “Tide & Foam Productions is based on all three coasts of the United States. With our friends and collaborators, we develop projects in New York City, New Haven, Chicago, and the Bay Area. Lightweight, flexible, and low budget, our methods prioritize adaptable production designs that fit small spaces and facilitate intimate experiences.”
The audience enter a tiny room and are confronted with a wooden wall in which various hatches can open. It is like looking at an oversized book. The lights dim and the magic begins. It is the story of a Spider, the moon and the dew. Story telling devises include recorded voice over (Anna Zheng), fabric in water behind glass, intricate cut outs, light and smoke. Music is also employed in this part children, part grown-up’s tale (Sebastian Blue Hochman). Spider loves the Dew and wants to keep its beauty for herself. She spins a web in the cosmos to trap it so the moon can never go down and the dawn will never break. The Dew, however, only wants to feel the warmth of the sun and tries to persuade spider to let the moon go free. Through the performance we follow a visually poetic path of negotiation and final resolution. “Book of Dew” weaves a spider web of fantastical fragments: water droplets, a river in the air, glistening stardust – the dew of transient experience emerges and evaporates at sunrise.
The entire presentation is very delicate, dreamlike and I wasn’t looking for logical connections. The two performers spoke to the audience at the conclusion of the show to explain that it is very new, and they are keen to hear from audiences about what worked and what didn’t. They handed around a very beautiful postcard with their details on it and how to get in touch. This kind of thoughtfulness and openness is a lovely quality reflected in the production.
The story focuses on the importance of taking responsibility for the bigger picture and the environment, over our own self-centred needs. It’s timely and delivered in a gently, quite way that is a much-needed sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the Edinburgh Fringe. Take some time out and experience this tiny gem.
Kate Gaul
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