A stunning flight into another world
Well, it certainly did what it said on the tin and it contained some breathtaking film projections, videos and sound combined with extremely graceful aerial movement and an eclectic musical score.
Twenty or so minutes into the production I don’t think I was alone in being very impressed by the technical complexities and the integration of live acting with film but somewhat perplexed and bewildered by what it was all about!
It is then that the house lights come on and Ellen, the main character superbly played by Sarah Swire, asks ‘is anyone else confused?’
We then realise that Ellen and her new husband are victims of a serious car crash and that she is in a medically induced coma.
What we are witnessing is the fragmented chaotic dream world she is inhabiting, where shards of her life are scattered like an exploding windscreen.
It’s a technically brilliant multimedia assault on your senses but manages moments of great poignancy and tenderness.
At its heart, for all the stunning effects, there is a love story of a young couple saying their final goodbyes to each other.
There is some humour too as Ellen invites a little audience participation as well as an almost Pythonesque scene as she encounters a ‘Jobsworth’ when her imagination takes her to an airport check in desk. This should be required viewing for airport staff who are prone to taking a power-trip.
All in all it is very well acted, highly original, spectacular, and visually stunning. It certainly held the attention of its audience for the full 80 minutes.
