Lion & Unicorn Theatre, London – until 29 May 2021
It was an absolute pleasure returning to a live performance in the Off-West End theatre the Lion and Unicorn. The entire experience has changed with the new Covid-19 secure restrictions in place and with the greatly reduced audience capacity it felt peculiar. Artistic director David Brady and his team have done a brilliant job making the venue feel safe and Covid secure. I would rather get used to this new “normal” than continuing to go without live theatre.
As a reviewer, we are often challenged about what we can tell our readers when we have been explicitly asked not to reveal spoilers. Proforca wants their theatre comeback to take a “more experimental approach”. No two nights are going to be the same.
Writers David Brady, Jack Albert Cook, Gabrielle Nellis Pain and Kim Scopes weave a sharp and intriguing journey into how the world might look to someone who finds themselves grasping onto the fragile thread between life and death.
Daniel Rainford delivers a powerful monologue during his performance as “X”. The young man left scared and alone attempting to piece together the reality of his current situation. How did he end up in this state?
One intriguing device that I particularly liked was the symbolism in which the highs and lows of our lives are represented by the fragility of paper planes. X describes the ability to be flying high one moment and crash to the ground without warning the next. Leaving X in a state of confusion and anger as he launches his roughly made paper planes across the stage.
Co directors Jess Barton and Brady have certainly stepped up to the new challenges in place for theatre with Covid restrictions firmly in place.
Proforca has a habit of challenging our perception of relationships, life and raw emotions. With past successful productions such as Feel and Feel More behind them it is no surprise that AAAAA continues along the theme of exploring another component into “what makes” us human.
Four stars
https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/
