A solo show is difficult to pull off and multimedia theatre can be fraught with problems. Window is a solo, multimedia show and I’m afraid Witness Theatre doesn’t quite rise to the challenge. Witness Theatre is performing this show for the first time at Brighton Fringe, so I hope they consider my feedback below.
Window sought to situate the internet as a metaphorical rabbit hole into which Alice (Siane Medoes) had vanished. The illusion of sinking is certainly apt as technology increasingly sucks our attention into screens; however the execution of the concept was weak.
Witness Theatre could do more to create atmosphere – there was a great potential to use music to support Medoes’ performance, which did falter at the great task of carrying a show alone with little audience engagement. The Warren is a large Fringe venue; a smaller venue would make us feel more engulfed by the multimedia. The projections were noticeably ‘hissy’ – better to fade in the sound. The film snippets were obviously well made, but the relevance to the action onstage was often unreadable.
There is limited theatrical potential in having the only actor underneath a duvet cover – bring her out, let her speak to the audience. The moments when Medoes did perform out to the audience were much stronger. I also found the occasional explicit sexual references hard to understand and the partial nudity distracting.
Witness Theatre took on an ambitious project and I admire their courage.
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If you see me at a Brighton Fringe Event - please do come and say hello, and share your personal experience of the Festival.
Scratch Sessions at The Old Market on May 19th is a Brighton Fringe promo party – if you would like to show 5 minutes of your event please email spunglasstheatre@live.co.uk
Jessica Cheetham runs Spun Glass Theatre; a Brighton theatre company devoted to personal protest through words and worlds. She is also the Social Media Coordinator for Root Experience.
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