Borderline Vultures is the latest of the productions in the
InOnTheAct festival commissioned jointly by The Lowry and The Quays Arts and
Cultural Development. It is turning out to be a wonderful series of works, and
this latest creation is no exception. In fact ‘normal’ theatre is going to seem
ever so dull after this!
Ever since I’d seen Happystorm Theatre’s brilliant ‘CryptProject : New Depths’ earlier this year I had been excited to see what they
would come up with next, so, when details began to emerge about their latest
commission, Borderline Vultures, there was no way I was going to miss the
opportunity to experience it. Happystorm ‘get’ social media, and on the run up
to this production they’ve used it very effectively in order to keep in touch
with their supporters and build up interest in the production, without ever
giving anything away.
Immersive theatre seems to be becoming more common these
days, or maybe I’m actively seeking it out. It’s where you get to fully
experience a production rather than just watching it. When done well it can
fool with your head and before you know it you forget you are an observer of a
creation and almost become part of it. This production takes that one step even
further by allowing the participants a degree of independence in the way they
experience the event, and allows them to actually influence the action. It must
require a real leap of faith by the actors involved as you can’t ever predict
exactly how your audience will choose to react. The creators, performers and
designers of this production did an amazing job in creating a truly absorbing
and unforgettable experience.
The only drawbacks to something as unique and exciting as
this are that you can only ever really experience it to full effect once with
the magic intact (but that really makes it all the more special in my eyes),
and that, as a blogger I have the same dilemma as I did with You Once Said Yes –
how do I convey how great it was without spoiling it for someone who has yet to
experience it? So this account will be
necessarily light on detail I’m afraid.
Audience members gather in the bar of the Holiday Inn and
are welcomed to the experience by representatives of a mysterious organisation Syntech
(this isn’t a spoiler – it’s on the website!). They are then escorted in small
groups to a nearby secret location where
events will unfold. And then, to a great extent, it’s up to you to explore this
strange world and interact with its inhabitants, most of whom do not share a
common language with you. Initially I was a bit confused as to what my purpose
was (although I did prove myself to be completely incapable of following a very
simple instruction – sorry Laura!), but quickly the intrigue builds as you
explore the environment and interact with and observe some of the characters
that inhabit the facility. Before too long you are completely absorbed in the
adventure, searching for clues that will help you understand what is happening,
building up conspiracy theories, joining up with complete strangers to explore
spaces, and in my case proving without a shadow of a doubt that what I lack in
co-ordination I can make up for in enthusiasm! The more you open up to this
experience, the more you will get out of it.
Cleverly designed and devised, the attention to detail is
amazing, there is so much to engage the curious mind. The cast are excellent,
completely convincing and engaging from the start, even without a common
language, and you really start to care about them. There is a nice blend of
mystery and playfulness, and an extremely joyous denouement culminating in an
onsite bar where the participants excitedly discuss their experience.
All in all, this was a wonderfully innovative and well
realised creation that I was so glad I experienced. It left me feeling excited,
energised and reluctant to leave – I could have stayed in that world for much
longer. In fact, if you’ll excuse the dreadful pun I left this amazing
Happystorm adventure stormingly happy, and once again privileged to have been a
part of it.
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