BREATHE - Review

Modern artsy puppetry is becoming a new subculture of theatre, especially at Fringe, with shows like Bill's 44th and this show BREATHE. Going in, you could tell no one knew what they were getting into. There were plenty of kids, and a group of adults behind me saying they were sure it would be a heavy drama and they would sob. I initially thought the ladder when I initially read about this show. The show begins with three performers taking turns on a single microphone with the tone of a children's programme, introducing the audience to the concept of nature and the mighty oak tree. It continued incorporating music, multimedia with cameras, and plenty of well-made scenery. The songs were very well written, with catchy hooks and story-driven lyrics. The performers had lovely voices, and the lead had that of a recording artist. The theatre, King Dome, is actually a very large stage, as shown in Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story from last year, which has a large open area and a single projection screen. The crew of BREATHE made it feel like a small and intimate black box theatre. The scenery, set pieces, and multimedia uses were incredible. Highly experimental and beautiful artistry. The issue with the show is the emotional connection to the characters is incredibly thin. The show has long scenes of the main puppet, a young seedling, discovering the world around him and making curious noises, but for much too long, and without a confident resolution to each scene. Ultimately, it felt like a giant music video for a concept album rather than a character-driven piece. It also gave the feeling of a nature-themed theatre troop traveling around from school to school presenting this show. With some stronger story and character building, there is a lot here! At the moment, its roots are too shallow.

⭐⭐⭐

Aug 1-13, 15-18

Pleasance Dome - King Dome 12:00 - 13:00