Written by: Ed Theakston (@EdTheakston)
Battersea Arts Centre, London
****
Forced Entertainment have a unique reputation for creating
theatre that pushes the boundaries of what an audience might expect a theatre
production to do. To call this a theatre production would not do Forced
Entertainment and artistic director Tim Etchell’s Neon Friday justice; it was a night of varied entertainments in a neon-filled
building. There was something very special about the atmosphere the evening
created in a bustling BAC.
At times the piece feels like a study in distraction, focus,
and juxtaposition. The six cast members fight for the microphone that enables
their story to be heard, and when one succeeds, the others do something
entirely contrasting to the story being told. Fascinatingly we are not fed any singular
complete linear narrative, but are instead given the seeds of a multitude of
stories, situations and characters that spark off all sorts of associations,
imaginings and thoughts. The feeling of
uncertainty in the apparent freeness of the performances avoids feeling
contrived. At times there is a lack of emotional development; within this
structure there is the possibility of mining a whole load of emotional gems,
but sadly this is somewhat unexplored, leaving it feeling a little monotone.
Sight is the Sense
that Dying People Tend to Lose First…, a monologue written and directed by
Tim Etchells, continues on a theme The
Coming Storm establishes. That is, attempting to find meaning,
understanding and structure in the chaos and disorder of contemporary living.
Performed by an unwavering Jim Fletcher, it showcases Etchell’s customary
deadpan and wry humour in an intriguing and captivating performance. Written in
a free-associating, stream-of-consciousness style, it takes the form of an interminable
list of statements that are often curiously inaccurate, or banal yet absorbing.
It builds to a point where the scope is so vast and the precision so infinitesimal
that it becomes an analysis of the human condition. The man on stage seems to
be searching for some way of comprehending the turmoil and madness in the world
he sees. It is perhaps overly long, as the difficult, repetitive structure can
become irksome.
Surrounding these two pieces were readings by Etchells from
the web project Vacuum Days, the
installation of neon signs and quotes from the various pieces scattered around
the characterful BAC, music from DJs in the bar, and some curiously named
cocktails. Vacuum Days is a
collection of various, fictional announcements of events related to the real
happenings of 2011 which has Etchell’s humour stamped all over it, as well as
some truly cutting political comment.
Neon Friday was a
peculiar night that had a bizarre yet special atmosphere. It is by no means
‘perfect’, but it would be odd to find this kind of work flawless. It’s deliberately
raw, deliberately fractured, and deliberately subjective. The experimental work
of Forced Entertainment is always something to watch, and this night is no
exception, although at times the rigorous emotional punch and vigour of the
company’s previous work felt absent. All of the pieces on show – including
Etchells’ book – are certainly worth a look. If you ever get the opportunity to
see any of Forced Entertainment’s work, it would be madness to say no!
Forced Entertainment are at BAC until 1 December 2012.
For More Information: http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/neon-friday/
@battersea_arts @ForcedEnts
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