Reviewed by Alice Clayton
August 17th 2024
Pleasance King Dome
By Half A String
Pleasance King Dome
By Half A String
‘Find the epic in the tiny’ claimed the company Half a String. From the perspective of an acorn, we journey to discover the beats and rhythms of a busy, beautiful woodland world, uncovering the bizarre larger than life fungi, creaking tree roots and thrumming underworlds.
Upon entrance, I am greeted by the sounds of subtle birdsong and a little haze. Various camera phones rest in situ, although to one side I can see what looks like a miniature forest, but it is too small and too far away at this point to make any sense.
3 energised actors, passionate about the breath of life through trees, begin explaining what journey this show will now take us on around one microphone. Although I was already excited about what was to come, this section seemed a little frantic around the one mic, and I wasn't sure if the mic was needed at all? This was also the case with the singing, as the voices were beautiful and could clearly be heard without the mechanical clips a microphone gives. This was my only criticism, however.
When the acorn's story begins, from tree falling to 'hatching' into our tiny little hero, I am mesmerised. A wheeled box waist height centre stage becomes our little guy's world for much of the piece, with amazingly designed, intricate interchanging sections for his journey, and we see all this by the insanely clever use of the cameras projected onto a screen above. The design of this set piece was so clever, so well thought-out, and contained an incredible scope of locale for our acorn. The cameras aren't so much simply capturing the tiny puppetry for us, but are choreographically moved so effortlessly from one scene to the next that they become part of our forest world.
Although too many to mention, some particularly favourite moments of mine were his tiny sneeze, the rain drop clicks, the music mushrooms and his bow to the leaf god as he passes. I cried. Twice.
The original music by Avi Simmons was a delightful enchantment sung (and played) so gracefully by Darcey O'Rourke, with some expert harmonies and counter melodies provided by Louise Ashton.
The lighting and costumes were subtle and exactly what the piece needed. I was sold from 2 minutes in, right up until the standing ovation at the end.
This piece is a 2024 Offie Award Finalist and it is not hard to see why. The production is quite simple, unmissable. With it's delightfully imaginative ways of exploring the inner workings of trees, beautifully realised with a combination of stunning puppetry, breathtakingly detailed sets and ground-breaking live camera work. Underscored through a truly unique blend of thumping drum and bass and live ethereal folk songs.
An absolute triumph.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Find out more about the show at https://www.halfastring.co.uk/breathe.html
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