Review: Wake Less
Binge Culture Collective were “attempting to create an environment that’s as fluid and responsive as a dream is.” They want to “push the boundaries of performance and explore the things that can’t be done onscreen or online.” I think they have successfully achieved these two aims. Whether the performance says anything more than ‘experimenting with craft’ will depend on your individual interpretation.
There is audience participation (mostly collectively and mostly good-natured) so be prepared to play along. Interspersed with live action scenes is a bit of mask work which adds to the loopy presentation. Performers Simon Haren and Isobel MacKinnon are the front people. They are supported by Sceneographers Rachel Baker and Theo Taylor. All four try to direct audience attention. Sometimes it can get a bit confusing as there is more than one scene going on at the same time. The projection is the final piece to this show. I liked the way the live and filmed sections fitted together.
In the end it felt like an improvised performance – lots of cool things happened, I had a good time, and I walked out of the theatre buzzing.
- Wake Less on at BATS Theatre to 19 November