PERFORMANCE IN WHICH HOPEFULLY NOTHING HAPPENS. To 3 June.

Edinburgh

PERFORMANCE IN WHICH HOPEFULLY NOTHING HAPPENS
concept by Jetse Batelaan.

Traverse Theatre for THE BANK OF SCOTLAND CHILDREN’S INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2007 To
23 May 2007 then 30 May-3 June Ottawa International Children’s Festival.
Runs 1hr No interval

TICKETS: 0131 228 1404
http://www.tgmax.nl
Review: Thelma Good 22 May 2007

Laughter happens.
Theatergroep Max’s Performance In Which Hopefully Nothing Happens (visiting the Bank of Scotland Festival from the Netherlands) starts slowly with a lot of silence and, after the security guard locks and alarms the open door of the set, more follows as we look at the empty stage and giggle at ourselves being a good audience. Then danger rattles the locked door’s handle. It’s an actor who has to enter the stage. When he tries to get on by unconventional means the guard appears, a man who is only trying to do his job. And that, the actor points out, is also what he is trying to do.

The pair discover obstacles all along the way as Rene, the actor, carries on a vast stack of sheet music and a rope which the guard, Martin gets inveigled into pulling; there’s clearly something on the other end. Rene is dressed like a 17th century musician in grey silk tails, stiff lacy shirt and pantaloons but when he begins to play we hoot – it’s a tune we’ve all tinkled out on a keyboard. Step by step the performance sideslips into more and more surreal moments till there’s a problem with the Next Moment and the surreality shifts another gear. And then, when the hard to see Detail turns up, we’re way off the scale of normal.

Director Jetse Batelaan and her actors Martin Hofestra and René Geerlings know just how to keep the ball of delight at silliness in the air with an audience who wants it to be there. It’s not all light though. Martin finds he has to chase his other self, and early on Rene gets very upset. Touching on the strangeness of language and of existence, this sharply crafted piece takes a punt at the way understanding life is only half the picture.

Security Guard: Martin Hofstra
Actor: René Geerlings

Director: Jetse Batelaan
Designer: Hester Jolinks
Lighting: Gé Wegman
Costume: Marike Kamphuis

2007-05-28 23:47:15