On the dark side
Lynn Freeman
Capital E National Arts, Festival, reviewed by Lynn Freeman and Rose (12)
Last week most of the shows were for the littlies, this week it’s more aimed at teenagers. Just as tough a crowd.
The three shows I got to with Rose were all on the dark side – especially the grimly beautiful puppet film 2 Dimensional Life of Her and the band Vinnie Septic and the Princesses where the band members live in a caravan by a tip and Vinnie is trying to turn himself into the V-ulk by liquidising unsavoury things like insects and putting them into his bloodstream. Hmmm.
Up Down Boy is the story of Matty who has Downs Syndrome and his devoted mother who has decided to send him to college to learn life skills. This is a very affecting piece of work and one which aims to dispel, in an entertaining way, some of the stereotypes surrounding disability. Rose and I both enjoyed ourselves – rather more than the wee girl who sobbed loudly when Vinnie’s infected arm was pulled off and green gunk coated the stage floor.
2 Dimensional Life of Her seemed a bit constrained in Shed 11 with some of the film wrapping around the side of a wall and some astonishing sfx, notably the fire sequence and the appearance and disappearance of the puppets at will. It was a disconcerting and unsettling show, which seems too adult for the starting age range of seven. Then again the Brothers Grimm didn’t protect its young readers from the harsh realities of life and scary moments.
Last week most of the shows were for the littlies, this week it’s more aimed at teenagers. Just as tough a crowd.
The three shows I got to with Rose were all on the dark side – especially the grimly beautiful puppet film 2 Dimensional Life of Her and the band Vinnie Septic and the Princesses where the band members live in a caravan by a tip and Vinnie is trying to turn himself into the V-ulk by liquidising unsavoury things like insects and putting them into his bloodstream. Hmmm.
Up Down Boy is the story of Matty who has Downs Syndrome and his devoted mother who has decided to send him to college to learn life skills. This is a very affecting piece of work and one which aims to dispel, in an entertaining way, some of the stereotypes surrounding disability. Rose and I both enjoyed ourselves – rather more than the wee girl who sobbed loudly when Vinnie’s infected arm was pulled off and green gunk coated the stage floor.
2 Dimensional Life of Her seemed a bit constrained in Shed 11 with some of the film wrapping around the side of a wall and some astonishing sfx, notably the fire sequence and the appearance and disappearance of the puppets at will. It was a disconcerting and unsettling show, which seems too adult for the starting age range of seven. Then again the Brothers Grimm didn’t protect its young readers from the harsh realities of life and scary moments.
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