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Track Works Mortuary Station Indie outfit Bellbontom audaciously stage a “new” operatic work called “Track Works” at Sydney’s historic Mortuary Station. This was once a central stop to pick up the dead and their living families for transport to Rookwood. Since the advent of the motor car made the transport of the dead to the cemetery a much less grand affair, Mortuary Station has variously been an animal depot, pancake roller skating restaurant with old school carriage on the tracks as the eating house, hosted heritage events, weddings, and parties and now a site-specific performance venue. The building is adorned with angels, cherubs, and gargoyles. The Venetian 13th century Gothic-style building was designed by James Barnet and is the perfect venue for an evening of opera under the stars (at a fraction of the cost of sitting on the harbour!). It feels like such a resonant place for art. Arriving at the venue on a stormy weekday night, patrons are greeted with a cute bar and before long are ushered onto the performance platform. There are actual numbered seats, tiered so that all get a great view along the platform, and well-placed screens which display the re-written lyrics of some of the most well-known operatic repertoire. Directed by Clemence Williams, “Track Works” explores the great equalising power of transport delays. It’s done by cutting and pasting well known operatic repertoire together, and rewriting the lyrics to reveal story and character. Four travellers and a station guard wait for a train that never comes and (spoiler) it never will! A homeless woman, Sam (Sophie Mohler) has taken shelter under the platform roof. Two schoolgirls Jess (Eden Shifroni) and Jo (Lily Harper) are breaking lose and enjoying their freedom with endless bottles of booze. An office worker (or maybe a teacher), Jane (Anastasia Gall) is at the end of a long day. Station Master, Bill (Michael Kauffman) tries to keep all in order and when he calls it a night his final act of compassion celebrates all that can be good about the bonds formed on a suburban train platform. The operatic voices soar in this vaulted space. None more so than Eden Shifroni’s crystal clear soprano and her interpretation of “Sempre Libera” from La Traviata. Each character gets an aria and most often sings with another character as the story and relationships are revealed. Other moments that linger are “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka sung by Sophie Mohler; Anastasia Gall’s “Je Veux Vivre from Romeo and Juliet; “Io Sono Docile” from The Barber of Seville sung by Lily Harper; and Michael Kauffman’s rendition of “Largo al Factotem” also from Barber. The ensemble singing is magnificent and although the Humming Chorus was a bit obvious as a closer it was beautifully done. Interspersed are the recognisable chimes and announcements of delays and hold ups. They are humorous as are the altered lyrics. It really is the case “you have to be there” to appreciate the jokes so I won’t repeat some of the cleverer text here. Someone offstage is accompanying on an electronic keyboard and the sound is more or less well delivered to the stage. It would be great to sit in this location and hear more acoustic sounds - hopefully this team will return to the venue with an even grander production. As we observe strangers interacting across the 45 minutes of the production, the composition of each scene is mesmerising. The performance was blessed by a fierce wind that didn’t interfere with the vocal projection but was and incredible addition to the movement of various props used – toilet paper, bunches of written notes and safety tape flew in operatic gestures in ways impossible in a traditional venue. Adequately lit by theatrical fixtures the real magic comes from passing commuter trains nearby, lit by their subtle interiors becoming ever more present as night fell. As we look out into the web of train tracks, and beyond to the looming city, humanity’s thrum subsides, and we start to make sense of the picture before us. The humble individual stories taking place on the now abandoned train platform really are the stuff of opera. This unique event has all the hallmarks of stylish and upmarket opera meets indie, emerging artists strutting their considerable talents. Not to be missed! Kate Gaul

Omusubi Productions Old Fitz “The Face of Jizo” is a Japanese play by Hisashi Inoue (1994) in a version by Australian translator Roger Pulvers. The action takes place in Hiroshima in 1948, three years after the city was levelled by an atomic bomb. The story revolves around a daughter and survivor Mitsue - a young librarian - and the special relationship she shares with her father, Takezo. Having lost friends and family in the war, he is the only person with whom she can openly talk. What happened to this father and daughter in the moments after the blast form the themes of this funny and deeply moving drama. Takezo’s wish for his daughter’s anguish to be acquitted from her survivor guilt drives the narrative. It's rare for us to see a play that explores the destruction of Hiroshima and its aftermath from a Japanese point of view. This engrossing drama presented by a stellar team of creatives. Mayu Iwasaki playing daughter Mitsue is the beating heart of the production and brings enormous emotion, grace, and charisma to this central role. She creates a detailed world both inside her flat where the action takes place; her workplace, the library; and the horrors of the aftereffects of the bomb. There is a sense of time slowing down in this space as action, image and relationship are given weight as the story unfolds. It is a pleasure to watch. One small scene where Mitsue rehearses a puppet show for the children at the library is a delight and highlights Mayu Iwasaki’s considerable skill in manipulating objects and a great example of the care taken in every aspect of this production. Shingo Usami plays father Takezo with his trademark warmth and humour. Usami also co-directs with David Lynch, and they combine the art of Japanese and Australian aesthetics and storytelling. Thankfully they get out of the way of this powerful play and let it do its work without needless embellishment. Me-Lee Hay, composer, provides a rich and haunting piece of music which is used sparingly, appropriately. Sound designer Zachary Saric isn’t encouraged to provide bomb-like sounds or eerie post war underscore. The sound world is – like other aspects of the production – elegant. Tobhiyah Stone Feller (designer) creates a post war Japanese interior with elevated tatami mat covered platform and kitchenette. The objects sit ingeniously on the stage, and we feel the space breath with the drama. Mat Cox (Lighting Design) brings his refined restraint to the space and with is artistry reminds us that often less is more. Respect! What or who is the Jiso of the title? The Jiso is a small stone Buddhist statue and if you haven’t been to Japan, you may have seen one in a Japanese film such as the Studio Ghibli’s “Tonari no Totoro”. The primary role of Jizo is to protect children, and the souls of unborn babies. The Jizo appears to protect these children from devils and hide them in his clothing from the evil spirits. Jizo looks after them as a guardian on behalf of their parents. To say anything more would be to reveal the perfect theatrical twist of the story. No spoilers here! The play has a unique structure with a coda or resolution to the storytelling. Just another reason to check out this understated offering at the Old Fitz this month. With the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki having just passed, the relevance of this play cannot be understated, especially as world history is on the brink of repeating itself with the ever-present threat of escalating warfare. Kate Gaul

Boom Slanted Theatre KXT Broadway Slanted Theatre presents “Boom” by Singaporean playwright Jean Tay. Developed at the Royal Court in London and developed by the Singapore Repertory Company, “Boom” is now a set text for schools in Singapore. With this terrific pedigree it is a pleasure to see this play presented in Sydney. Set in land-scarce Singapore during a time of property boom – around 2008 - as seen by the surge in en-bloc sales, which coincides with the implementation of a government policy of exhuming graves that are more than 15 years old, "Boom" has much to say to us. My guest on the evening I attended the production is Singaporean and – to attest to the authenticity of this story – he felt as if the play was telling his lived experience. Performed in English, Hokkein and Singlish slang, “Boom” is a rich evening in the theatre with themes to be savoured. “Boom” tells the story of an elderly woman and her property agent son in Singapore, who are struggling over the potential en bloc sale of their home. A common en-bloc scenario is one where all the units in a strata-titled development are sold to developer and proceeds are divided amongst all the unit owners. Mother and Son’s destinies become interwoven with that of an idealistic civil servant, Jeremiah, who is facing the greatest challenge of his career—persuading a reluctant corpse to yield its memories. “Boom” is a poignant tale about the relocation of both dead and living. It's about how personal stories get left behind in the inexorable march of progress. Director Tiffany Wong has assembled the perfect cast. Josephine Lee is outstanding as the ambitious son Boon who craves social advancement and forgets too soon what it is to love a home. Melissa Gan plays multiple roles and is memorable as the fast-talking agent who chases luxury, turning sand into gold and that precious dollar! Natalie Low is a standout in her interpretation of the elderly neighbour and Tiang Lim impresses in her debut as the Boon’s mum. Daniel Mackenzie, Jordan Zhu and Gerwin Widjaja complete the cast. Hats off to Widjaja for commitment and zest in creating a living corpse. “Boom” has everything from naturalism to surrealism and Tiffany Wong and her creative team admirably support the cast in bringing this often-poignant story to the stage. One thing is certain in our life and that is death. “Boom” reminds us to hold onto our precious dreams and question the march of time. Boon’s childhood dream of being Superman are so easily crushed by a domineering father and yet is at the core of his conflict with his mum. His father chained him to a tree in the garden for an entire night and that is his most powerful memory. His mother is unwilling to leave precisely because of her own memories of the place: it is where she started a new life as a young wife and mother in the 1970s; and though her husband abandoned her many years ago, she still believes that one day he will return - and how will he find her if she is not there? This family narrative is both literal and metaphoric. When paired with the story a civil servant who must exhume a corpse because the land is being returned to the government the play reveals how human emotion and dignity can sometimes be crushed under the onslaught of efficiency. “Boom” resonates now in our own cashed strapped economy on one hand and rising house prices on the other. There is just so much great theatre being made in Singapore let’s hope that Slanted Theatre delivers other gems to Sydney audiences. Kate Gaul

The Medium Independent Theatre Operantics is a Sydney based community opera company dedicated to creating opportunities for Australian artists to perform and for audiences to have a financially accessible opera experience. In October 2023 the company produced “The Medium” (1946) by Gian Carlo Menotti. It is performed in two acts over 70 minutes. This is a delicious divertissement staged at the glorious North Sydney Independent Theatre. Written in the aftermath of World War II, it invites audiences into the parlour of down at heel Madame Flora, a self-proclaimed spiritualist who survives conducting seances for grieving parents, using her own daughter Monica as a stand-in for their dead children. One evening, during one emotionally charged session, Flora suddenly feels an invisible hand grip her throat. Is this the spirit world seeking revenge? Works like this throw a spotlight on the enormous grief that followed World War II where so many families lost loved ones and were never to know what actually happened to them. It also allowed familiet to discuss death, belief,and find solace in "what id? What follows is the tragic story of the tormented Madame Flora, daughter Monica, and Toby – a mute servant boy to whom Flora is deliberately cruel. The small chamber ensemble, conducted by Phillip Eames sits to one side, and the action is directed by Jane Magão on the split level of the Independent Stage. Design by Ian Warwick sees the stage decorated with flickering candles which create a terrific atmosphere as we enter the theatre. Flora’s shabby apartment is pulled together from various naturalistic bits and pieces - always tricky on a shoestring budget. The interpretation of the opera for this production is fairly safe. A drunken impoverished fraudster is at the heart of the piece. The world into which the needy venture feels squalid, low rent, the music is jarring and creepy. With less attempt at faithful realism the creative team could have lifted the rug on polite society and possibly created a chilling, noir-esque, intoxicatingly subversive world where fate and justice weave a nightmarish spell. There is something very unsettling about Menotti’s tense masterpiece after all! Costuming is detailed and more successfully rendered, conjuring both period, class, and character detail. The strong ensemble of singers bring the music and story to life. Elena Marcello as the bereaved widow Mrs Nolan - who is visiting Madame Flora for the first time – is assured. Mr and Mrs Gobineau are played by a stoic Ian Warwick and a heart-breaking Maria Hemphill. The Gobineaus - both veteran visitors to Flora’s salon - "communicate" with their deceased two-year-old son Mickey, who, having never learned to speak, only laughs. Maria Hemphill’s fine voice combined with her physical stillness gave her work a deep, sorrowful resonance and aided in providing a truthful context for participation in séance and other rituals to communicate with the dead. The role of daughter Monica was split between Louise Keast and Operantics Artistic Director Katie Miller-Crispe. The performance I attended Miller- Crispe gave a solid and moving performance of an unfortunate child both as unwilling participant in her mother’s fraudulent schemes and peacemaker during Flora’s drunken rages. The story ultimately revolves around the mute Toby’s tragic silence. Sam Martin as Toby was light, imaginative and physically articulate as he portrayed with subtle vulnerability. According to the composer, “The Medium” is actually a play of ideas. It describes the tragedy of a woman caught between two worlds, a world of reality which she cannot wholly comprehend, and a supernatural world in which she cannot believe.” Ruth Strutt is a magnificent Flora in this production with vocal chops to die for. She portrays the dismayed and drunken Flora with a ferocious energy from her cruel and empty tricks played on her clients to her eventual descent into madness. Thrilling work! Kate Gaul

Legs on the Wall declares its mission as: “To make meaning in a rapidly changing world through transformative physical theatre.” Playing at the impressive (and now award-winning) House of Oz the production of “Beetle” is a sensational blend of theatre, circus, animation, and storytelling, has a strong environmental message and underlines that everyone has a place in the world and even the smallest voice matters. A large tree sits on the stage. A screen sits behind it. The trunk and branches are painted in a pale colour to reflect the many projections (video designer Susie Henderson). This is the tree around which, on which and from which the talented performers (Lloyd Alison-Young and Christy Tran) will climb, swing and fly. Tree represents the prototypical tree in the time before humans uprooted so much of the plant life on Earth. Tree has a voice (Vick Van Hoot) and they narrate the journey. Simon the beetle is one of the fast-disappearing Australian Christmas beetles. He is searching for his lost family. Sally, the child of the piece initially enters looking for a beetle to catch. A friendship ensues between Sally and Simon and a stunning true-blue Aussie narrative begins, complete with crickets, dog barks and other very recognisable suburban backyard sounds (Sound Designer Luke Smiles and Composer Jessica Dunne). The projections are illustrated by Freya Blackwood. This is a super useful element in a touring show like “Beetle” – easy to deliver and consistently high quality. The story of the tree and a history of time are etched into the tree and Simon and Sally go in search of Simon’s family. On the way we meet third and fourth characters – Fergus the stick insect and a bush turkey become both allies and barriers to the quest (both played by Olivia Hadley). Sally’s urge to collect souvenirs on the way bring her into conflict with Simon and she learns to respect her environment – leaving only footprints and taking only memories. The allegorical framework and our connection to nature is obvious here. But a great one to have with the youngsters for whom the production is created. And the kids in the audience were captivated. Especially thrilling is a chase scene up and down the vertical tree trunk as the illusion created is that Sally is running, running, running as projections of falling trees crash around her. The melding of all elements, here, is outstanding. The production ends with a charming petal drop. Some of the petals are tiny seed packets for the audience to collect and take home. The cast join the young audience and hunting for the seed packets and there is time for one-on-one chats. I am sure this will come to a town near you – don’t miss it. Great work by Legs on the Wall, "Beetle" is created and directed by Joshua Thomson and Kate Walder. Kate Gaul

I adore Playwright Kieran Hurley’s “Mouthpiece”so I was keen to see “Adults”. Alienation and the gulf between generations is explored as is the futility of blame culture and how we make things better for those who come after us. This is a black comedy which at first glance can feel a little formulaic in the writing, but its ultimate message is something that resonates. Set in Edinburgh’s New Town Zara (Dani Heron) is a sex worker, and her brothel is an ethical one – run as a worker’s collective – and she’s proud of the judgement-free service on offer. A new client turns up, before her colleague Jay (Anders Hayward) arrives. The client (Conleth Hill) turns out to be her former English teacher, Mr Urquhart, or Iain. Cringe! He told her she could do anything. But she’s found that that’s not true in the gig economy world she entered when she left university. Jay finally turns up, with a baby in a pusher. It’s a bit of a mood killer. Iain hasn’t been to a brothel before, and he and Jay must work out what exactly Iain wants. Ian’s life hasn’t worked out the way he imagined either. He’s nervous, scared and now embarrassed. He believes he’s acting on his attraction to young men to neutralise his growing misery with his marriage, his job, his kids – his entire life. Reality keeps intruding on this potentially fantastic encounter. There’s a lot of inevitable chatting to work through Hurley’s serious capitalist themes. The crux of the matter is that all three characters have more in common then they might imagine. Most of the play is farce and the technical brilliance of this cast on it’s A-game is a pleasure to watch. Zara’s business-like bravado and plain-speaking approach to her business are perfectly captured by Dani Heron. Jay’s reckless desperation as he faces his own aging process and mounting financial pressures are note-perfect in the hands of Anders Hayward. Conleth Hill’s portrayal of self-loathing and defensiveness drives the drama. He’s done everything right, hasn’t he? So why does it all feel so wrong? Roxanna Silbert directs this neat three-hander in a way that we connect with each character, and not just a bunch of foibles for fun. It often feels like a play of two flavours – the farce and the state of the nation. One of the challenges of the piece is to flip from farce, gags, and comic timing to the ultimate sexual encounter that Jay and Iain must navigate. This is not an easy ask. The final moments when Iain allows himself to be held by Jay is both satisfying, tragic and earned. Doomed we may well be but let’s have a laugh and if comfort comes your way – grab it. Kate Gaul

Song of the Goat Theatre (Teatr Pieśń Kozła) is one of the leading avant-garde theatres, inspired by the thought and work of Jerzy Grotowski. It is a privilege and a surprise to finally see the work this year. With the company’s focus on the darker aspects of human existence this work resonates frighteningly given the ongoing war(s) in Europe. Established in 1996 by Grzegorz Bral and Anna Zubrzycki, Song of the Goat Theatre has an international reputation as one of Europe’s most innovative training-based theatre companies, committed to researching what makes theatre distinctive among other art-forms. From its base in Wroclaw, Poland, the Company constantly develops its approaches and performances with the aim of unlocking theatre’s power to offer audiences a profound experience that can reaffirm their own sensitivity and humanity. Song of the Goat Theatre’s ever-evolving training, rehearsal and performance process is treated as laboratories, enabling the Company to research the craft of the actor and director and to develop new techniques, performance languages and work styles. A distinctive element of the Company’s practice is a search for connection, meeting, and openness as the seeds of authentic experience. This commitment to connection creates clarity around the development of each new training approach, which always seeks to integrate movement, voice, song, and text, creating performance that has an inherent musicality and connects with the audience on a sensory level. “Andronicus Synecdoche” is Song of the Goat Theatre inspired by Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus”, featuring original text and music which depict retaliation’s extreme cruelty. I guess you would call this a multi-disciplinary adaptation. “Andronicus Synecdoche” distils the brutal violence of the original text. The large cast of 14 work as a brilliant ensemble with folk instrumentals and choral music (a highlight), physical theatre and text in English and Polish. The lyrics and new text are projected for the audience and cast speak Shakespeare’s original text. It’s all tricky to follow and helpful if you know the bones of the Shakespearean story. “Titus Andronicus” is arguably Shakespeare's most violent play. In Song of the Goat's version, condensing it to just over an hour concentrates its violence and brings the women characters to the fore. It’s bleak as a meditation on sexual violence with the ravaged Lavina bearing the brunt of literally and metaphorically state sanctioned violence against women. Severe choreography and all-black costumes create a sense of unrelenting brutality. I found the staging awkward at times with main action happening towards the back of the stage. There is no denying the discipline within the company and the integration of music and movement is very fine. The challenge of “Andronicus Synecdoche” – and one that has been mentioned in reviews everywhere - is that a character, Aaron, is a white actor, though often referred to as black. It was downright confusing as I expected this company – who depict of other kinds of systemic violence with sensitivity and power – to be aware and responsible for presenting intersectionality with intelligence. This intellectual confusion and the unremitting images violence had me turning off to the story and pleased that the work was a swift 75 minutes. Kate Gaul

“La Codista” is a solo performance by Maureen Scholten from Netherlands. The piece is created around a true story of an Italian man who, when unemployed, decided to stand in line for others. Some details are invented. Codista means queuer. We all know the frustration of having to wait in a queue. Many cultures relish this. Others become agitated and fear that life is passing by. This piece is a reflection on slowing down, doing for others and ultimately, identity. Who are these people? This is a philosophic monologue, showing us that there is no time that is superfluous – it a condition for meaning, creativity and peace. Apparently, we spend a total of 16 days a year in a queue. The existence of La Codista – the queuer - originated in Italy and there are around 650 people employed in this field. On a bare stage Maureeen Scholten stands perfectly still for most of the hour. Under a bare strip of white light, the space feels cold and bureaucratic. She wears a modern (but classic) trench coat and clutches a briefcase. It feels as if we are thrust back into a time past – some kind of European film perhaps. This disconnect is deliberate as the metaphor is one of time standing still while in line. The impersonal, journalistic style text goes even further to create this impression. This character has a daily game plan and prepares for which ever job is at hand. She meets a range of folk in her profession and is aware of her. The queue becomes a place of chaos, misunderstandings, anger, questions, despair, boredom, relief, or simply relationships between human beings who are stationary in a space with a common aim: wait their turn. A humorous, political, absurd, and lucid reflection on identity. ‘I don't want to be the first, I'd rather be the last. The faster the world goes, the more I slow down. I go against the flow. Like a salmon. For a codista, the world is the other way around.' Maureen Scholten is a captivating storyteller. “La Codista” is a masterclass of technique and proves yet again the wealth of experience on show at Edinburgh Fringe. Seek it out. Kate Gaul

I’d been wanting to experience the “Yuck Circus” and finally, at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe I made it! “Yuck Circus” is an all-female, WA based, Australian high-flying acrobatic, comedy show that gives a thrilling display of strength and dexterity. Each woman has her own unique, impressive talent. “Yuck Circus” shows us that woman can be as strong as men. The troupe has skilfully interrogated how to build a pyramid of women, how to throw, catch and balance without the traditional male ballast at the bottom holding it all up. This is a show that blends incredible shows of strength with hilarious (and sometime horrifying) anecdotes of life as a modern woman in a world of toxic masculinity and cultural norms. Dressed in their signature underwear the troupe exploit the fact that no one onstage is ridiculously skinny and take every opportunity to show off everyone’s raw power. They arrive onstage dressed as “the boys” complete with fake moustaches, bumps in undies and heaps of machismo. Kissing biceps, playing fisty cuffs, leering and enjoying all the bogan tropes. “Yuck Circus” is here to bring them down! I describe the show as unapologetic, daring, and raucous! After the machismo, they dive straight into the taboo subject of menstruation. This means lots of anecdotes supported by the acrobatics and in this case red ribbon choreography. We cover toilet etiquette, body positivity, binge drinking and dating. This is social commentary balanced with humour, wit, and wild abandon! The company cover messy nights out, pubic hair to ‘dick pics’ and a poke at how women are perceived in “other” Circus shows. Some topics more explicit than others. One scene starts as a chilling musical number that descends into hilarity combined with an aerial display that seamlessly combines acrobatics and perfect comedy timing. If it challenge our perceptions of the world you will find it in “Yuck Circus” What else is great about this company? Beyond “Yuck Circus” there is a huge commitment to getting professional circus trainers into remote communities, partnering with women’s’ orgs wherever the company perform to support women and open conversations. Take a look at the website – it’s not all women who get the benefits. Programs exist for men and support isolated communities. I’m all for throwing money at women’s sports in the light of the Matildas emergence but let’s not forget that the arts go a long way to changing hearts and minds too – “Yuck Circus” is at the forefront of change – go support these all-Aussie gals! Kate Gaul

Writer and performer Jenny Witzel and director Luke Lewin Davies have created a haunting, lyrical and mesmerising elegy to the once vital and now disappearing waterfront of Deptford in South-East London. This is a story of a suburb questioning regeneration and its inevitable gentrification. Importantly “Creekshow” is a protest against raging capitalism and the real cost-of-living crisis. It is a great example of high-quality small-scale theatre which packs a political punch, and a call to action. Presented in the gorgeous Zoo Southside Studio this is an unexpected gem and not to be missed. While living on a houseboat in Deptford during the pandemic years, Witzel discovers a vibrant and resonant history of her new home. She mudlarks for pieces of history and actively joins social groups to discover more about the stories that make up a community. When we enter the space there is an incredible mash up of recorded interviews and one that really sticks with me is the story told by a woman of finding a man (presumably tipsy) who has fallen into the river at night. This was an incident before mobile phones. I was hooked! The entire piece is sensitively underscored by Calum Perrin. “Creekshow” is an enthralling multimedia exploration of a place transformed beyond recognition. Witzel is a gentle presence and treats her audience with the same care as she does the found items she has on loan – a toy car, an old VHS tape, a beautiful shoe from the period of the industrial revolution. Each holds it unique story and from that story many other stories grow. We get the chance to examine these relics through the use of her camera and projections. Spoken word supports these lost and found again narratives. What of the current threats to citizens in this area of once social and low-cost housing? What ofdevelopers drawn to the waterside who then build in ways that destroy the very thing that attracted them? These notions resonate strongly everywhere but “Creekshow” allows us a special window into a part of London and by association, beyond. Kate Gaul

A police interview room. A blank room, two chairs, a water cooler on top of a carpet. The actors use the door to the stage as the door to the interview room. Two surveillance cameras are set up and pointing in the direction of where the detective and interviewee will sit. We later learn there are additional cameras under the table and we – from time to time- watch each person’s hands as they talk. These images are projected on a white screen behind the table. I am thinking this will be like the now famous “glass box” scenes from “Line of Duty” – after all theatre is in real time and on that TV program they make it look as if the critical interviews are too. “An Interrogation” a debut play by UK writer and director Jamie Armitage promises much but falls short at the finish. A woman has been abducted and the situation bears similarities to a case occurring a few months earlier. As police race frantically against the clock to locate the latest victim before it is too late, an ambitious young detective is convinced that someone who is seemingly beyond reproach – a respectable businessman and charity supporter – may know more than it would appear. Her boss is unconvinced, but as the businessman agrees voluntarily to speak to the police, the senior detective allows the interview to proceed on condition the younger officer undertakes it by herself. This potentially explosive three-hander is off to a great start. What if she's got this all wrong? But what if she's got it right? The ensemble cast – John Macneill as senior detective John Culin, Bethan Cullinane as DC Ruth Palmer, and Jamie Ballard as businessman Cameron Andrews are uniformly excellent and attuned to the nuances and subtext of this tense scenario. The action is mainly between the detective and the citizen with the senior detective providing departmental and interpersonal context including the tensions beyond the interrogation room. The dialogue deftly reveals the nature of the crimes and the ensuing cat and mouse powerplay is everything you might expect. But the play and production never totally deliver the spine-tingling ride it promises. There’s an inevitability to the storyline and some very clumsy staging that belies the audience’s ability to understand what is going on. To reveal that here would be a massive spoiler. To add insult the play ends with a stab at some male/female workplace dynamics which are kind of inherent in the overall world of the work. The young detective having succeeded in her quest for justice is then shown to doubt her place in this world – albeit ambiguously. It all feels apologetic, added for good measure, and not treated as a serious circumstance of the play – in fact it is possibly an entirely different play – in any case, the writer could not dramatize this theme and for that reason I am giving “An Interrogation” a thumbs down. The bigger question is what can theatre add to our enjoyment and understanding of this kind of scene and concerns that we are not getting in spades via any streaming platform? Kate Gaul

Belgium Théâtre d'Un Jour present ‘Reclaim” in one of the many Spiegeltents that popup across the meadows of Edinburgh. This is circus but not as we know it. “Reclaim” is an imaginary ritual which is performed in the round. This is not a show, but a collective experience. An opera singer, two cellists, five acrobatic circus performers perform inside a circle surrounded by the audience in what sometimes is a disturbing closeness. The company proclaim that “Reclaim” an act of resistance. Inspired by the Ko’ch ritual, “Reclaim” draws the audience close to examine life and imagine a sustainable future. That the acrobatics on display become a form of secular prayer. The event opens with the sound of a drum and a jagged, brutal folk-dance sequence from the company. The performers wear dog-like masks seeming made of skeletal bone and fur and it is intimidating as these dog-like characters know no polite boundaries as they push, nudge and jostle with audience to find each other. On all fours this work is extremely visceral. When the aerial work begins the company throw each other into the air performing somersaults, flips and create tall pyramids of incredible virtuosity. This is all happening very close to the audience, remember, and it is breath-taking. Sometimes they are still animals, sometimes they are an exotic cult conjouring magic! Emotions in the audience are further released as an axe is dragged close to our feet and swung with incredible force above our heads. The drama is accompanied by the work of two cellists and a singer performing baroque music across a range of European languages (Armenian, English, German, Italian). The music performances are key to the overall experience, and, following the themes of transformation, the musicians are not just musicians. One of the cellists continues to play as she is lifted one acrobat on top of another high into the air. The singer, Blandine Coulon takes on simultaneous roles as actor, dancer, acrobat; all without a single quiver in her voice. It’s incredible! As the show progresses, audience members are literally lifted into the experience, as acrobats move them across the performance circle, are stood on, asked to assist with holds. It is daring. Many are drawn onto the stage for the finale. The term immersive theatre is common currency, yet this Belgian company, T1J, creates a visceral experience that is truly worthy of the description. International circus is well celebrated as part of Edinburgh Fringe. “Reclaim” is a stunning combination of singing, acrobatics, dance, drama, and cello that playing fills you with the joy at what the human body can do and be. As the company declares “After years of distancing from each other, this powerful collective experience allows us to recover and reclaim what our world needs urgently – humanity. The future is not what will happen to us, but what we will do.” Kate Gaul