Edinburgh Fringe 2025
art / ɑːt / noun (Art: the show)
LIPA Independent Project (Art the Show)
Genre: Dance, Dance and Movement Theatre, Multimedia
Venue: The Space @Surgeons Hall
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
art / ɑːt / noun (Art: the show) sees three recent graduates from the ‘Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts’ explore the highs and lows of an artist’s life. Conceived by producer and lighting designer Jasmin Lam, this 30-minute contemporary dance theatre piece combines movement, projections, and personal video to examine creativity, integrity, and ambition.
Review
art / ɑːt / noun (Art: the show) is a 30 minute piece of contemporary dance theatre from a small group of recent graduates of the ‘Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.’ Conceived by producer and lighting designer Jasmin Lam, the work uses set, projections, and lighting to explore what it means to be an artist, questioning integrity in the pursuit of commercial success.
The staging is stark and minimal: two metal frames draped with semi-translucent fabric are positioned to shape the space and enhance the movement. When the audience enters, the three dancers are already on stage, interacting with the set in simple but effective ways, immediately immersing us in the piece.
Performers Zöe Clark, Freya Jones, and Thea Wolf Soldberg dance with technical clarity, precision, and artistic expression. With so little else on stage, the choreography’s execution becomes paramount, and here it excels. The movement is playful, imaginative, and well structured, with enough variation in tone, rhythm, and pace to sustain interest. Stillness is used to great effect, and a warm, inviting lighting design complements the crisp white set and costumes. A highlight comes in the second half with a standout solo from Freya Jones.
There is a charming playfulness in the first half that could have been revisited later to give the piece more of a through-line. The multimedia elements, in particular the use of personal childhood videos, are touching and could be developed further to push the work into more unexpected territory. Similarly, the projections could be used more adventurously to deepen the storytelling.
From a technical standpoint, my seat three rows back offered a good overview, though a few moments with all dancers at a low level were partially obstructed.
While the concept itself isn’t entirely new, the piece is delivered with intention, heart, and impressive skill. It is, as described, a thought-provoking work of movement and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
