Edinburgh Fringe 2019
Catching Comets
Ransack Theatre
Genre: Fringe Theatre, New Writing, One Person Show, Physical Theatre, Sci-fi, Solo Performance
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
“After discovering a comet hurtling towards Earth, Toby snaps and turns into the action hero in his own movie on a mission to save the world from impending doom. Flashback a year: Toby is knocked off course when somebody crashes into his life. A disaster movie about falling in love. Catching Comets is a new show by Ransack Theatre that asks how we’re supposed to be big, brave and strong when we look and sound nothing like the heroes we grew up with on our screens.”
Review
This is a solo comedy and satirical action based performance telling a story about love, about fear, about the protections that we all build up around ourselves that isolate us more than they serve. But in particular this is a story about men and their heroes and how they are taught to love and connect with others. What they are taught is important. But what are they learning? Piers Black has created a satisfying and breathtaking piece of theatre that had the audience engrossed from starry take off to heavy bittersweet landing.
Superb and mesmerising performance from the talented and immensely likeable “Toby” played by Ali Michael. A high energy and flawless physical performance that never took away from the gentle heart of this show.
Professional direction with a keen and precise attention to detail paid off in the impact of this piece. The writing was beautiful and poetic and funny and relatable and took us right there in those awkward cringy lovesick moments and in those moments that change everything for ever.
Michael held the space perfectly in a set that was simple yet effective – the different light moods creating clear demarcations from past to present to an alternate reality. The lighting together with sounds and voice clips, perfectly shaped the atmosphere and helping the performer tell the story; serving as a place of action adventures, dreary office and young lovers meetings and heartbreak.
This was a playful and heart warming concept bringing together fantasy and uncomfortable self-realization. We teach our boys that Heroes are loaded with guns and sharp one liners and broad shoulders. That men are strong and unemotional, with a cheeky twinkle in their eye and no hint of self-doubt. There aren’t real role models for the male of the species to whisper their soft fears or take off their armours and lay their tenderness out in front of their love.
I was absorbed throughout the entire performance , amused and moved and I would highly recommend this show – put it at the top of your list of what to see this Edinburgh Fringe. It will warm your heart, remind you to pay attention to what’s important in this life, and make you laugh in sweet recognition. An excellent and professional piece of work that leaves the audience touched and thoughtful.
