Edinburgh Fringe 2022
How to Be Lost
Bear Pit Theatre
Genre: Physical Theatre, Theatre, Verbatim Theatre, Youth Theatre
Venue: C ARTS | C venues | C aquila - temple
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
This is an episodic performance which is literally about getting lost, they cover the geography of much of Europe and what the diligent skier and explore may like to visit. Using themselves and puppets we get a series of every intriguing tales told in a wonderfully creative manner.
Review
There is an acute sense of humour somewhere as this is a well-directed performance about getting lost. This is a series of events which have been collected verbatim and as such the curation of themes means they tend to suggest a specific type of experience. It includes a Cypriot child newly arrived in the UK to the skiing adventures, getting lost in Austria and turning the wrong way in an unknown village with a bad sense of direction means they tend to dwell upon the physical sense of direction.
This is absolutely fine as you get the impression that our young performers have these experiences to share. They may not be the ones who have had these experiences, but they are within their knowledge base. It provides authenticity and allows us to see young people in a positive light without this ending up as a misery memoir. It works very well indeed.
What also works really well is the mix of storytelling, movement and then puppetry. The skills on display are well directed and engage us as an audience because we are offered some wonderful perspectives. The physical balancing and movement with the whole cast between performers works so well and you get a collective feeling not just of an attempt at ensemble playing but a true sense of a well-rehearsed and understood sense of collective – a true ensemble.
The effect of the entire performance is to remind me of the value of creative youth theatre. We get a true sense that the attributes and skills of our performers have been carefully crafted and developed. They have been taken from where they are and directed into a performance which suits the stage upon which they now sit and perform to a standard that does not look out of place on a professional stage. I left very heartened – even if I have never felt the urge to get lost whilst skiing nor am I likely to!
