Frankenshow, Wednesday 29th March, Chapter, reviewer: Rachel Nurse
Postmodernist art with a technological twist.
This was a very creative and different, but at times, a confusing show. A war between humans, robots and dinosaurs paralleled Earth’s own wars between nations. The narrator explained that war is not the answer to the questions – enacted with dolls, which were cleverly utilised in a scene which saw the killing of the aliens and robots.
The creativity behind the production was outstanding: there was an alien narrating important political issues alongside a war between robots and dinosaurs, and the humans then defeating both. However, I felt that there was not enough plot to follow and I left the theatre wondering what I had just seen. I wondered if it was a remake of Toy Story, if it was about World War I and/or II or even if its about Brexit. In the end I concluded it is broadly about wars destruction in general.
Throughout the production I questioned whether to laugh or take the production seriously. In the end, I did laugh however, when a mop and a broomstick with iPad faces danced together. There was also a┬áDirty Dancing┬áreference, which was confusing and bewildering, but nonetheless, it was my favourite part – two Barbie dolls reenacted the famous hold scene!
The production was a puzzle, after every scene you had to try to figure out how each piece fitted the last. Though the plot was uncertain, the themes of war, death and politics were implanted making the main body of the show strong but the plot, in parts, weak. The passion of the piece was out of the world, and as a one-person show was impressive because each scene was so dissimilar to the last. Though the plot needed more of a consistent theme and storyline to really gain the audience’s full understanding.
As a whole, a job well done.
by Rachel Nurse