Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Noted
The Back Pack
Genre: Family, Physical Theatre, Theatre
Venue: Assembly Roxy
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
The Back Pack’s signature style, hailed as a live-action cartoon and pure entertainment, creatively combines non-spoken performance, music, dance and media with over 400 hand-drawn images strapped to the performers, transforming them with the turn of every page
Review
The cast arrive each wearing backpacks that are special – because they are made of paper with large drawings created by wide felt tip pens. The first drawing on each is of the features of a backpack, such as zips, designs and pockets. The next surprise is that the performers pull off the top drawing and hey presto, another drawing is underneath! Each drawing is related but different, which is fun and this process repeats so many times that the stage is full of pieces of white paper with black line drawings! There are some drawings connected to each other that are not screwed up like the single sheets, seemingly because they can be used again in the next show.
The cast of four are compelling, enthusiastic and lively, always ready for the next part of the show! Their joy is infectious, even though one is wondering if the many large pages of white paper on the floor, ready to be recycled could have been used differently! This section also includes several brief and merry dances around the stage. These people are so happy that they break into rhythmic dance routines often!
The second half of the show is fascinating with an intriguing use of video to record and delay playback of actions created by the cast. They each have a little platform on wheels that they lay on, and using momentum from their feet they cross and float across the stage in ever changing sequences showing quick flashes of imagery such as all of them swimming, or doing different sports and much more. The perspective change from the ground to an aerial view on the delayed camera work creates inventive illusions that are entertaining, funny and creative.
The non-verbal show is well received and it’s a good show to start the day due to the light story, spontaneous movement and the lovely artistic drawings on the paper in the first half. Scenes change with music, and sometimes songs that relate to the theme they are enacting. A ‘weegee board’ séance enactment has a beautifully designed board, and when it is projected on the large screen it’s very amusing. This show may appeal to all ages because of its simplicity and creativity. In fact, Noted is a never ending paper trail – Come and join in!
