Thursday 18 August 2011

Kneehigh Theatre's "The Wild Bride"

So we's sitting in a big tent in the middle of a Cornish field, somewhere between Blackwater and St. Agnes. The lights have just gone out. It's pitch black. And everyone around us is hollerin and shouting and clappin - including me and The Old Man.

We've just reached the end of Kneehigh's "The Wild Bride" at their big tent venue, The Asylum.

Oh I'm a little choked. And when the lights go up again, the performance space is still strewn with leaves and big red flowers and the performers are being roundly applauded.

It's a fairy/moral tale in which a pure soul attracts the vengeful fury of the devil. In this case, a devil with a guitar. It's gruesome; it's funny; it's moving; it's full of music. There is also a fair amount of mud, blood, smoke, lights, dance and a little puppetry. In short - it has everything I need in theatre.

The performers and performances are great.... sharp, tight and very skilled. The set is minimal but ingenious. Bravo! I'm happy. You can tell I's a fan.


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