FRINGE – Now We Can Talk – Adina Grand Treasury – 4K

By torch-light, five individuals slowly wake up. In shadow you see another snippet of their stories. Devoid of sight, you are encouraged to meditate on the lives being lived above your head. Now it is time to talk, to share your own thoughts on various topics with one of these characters and, finally, to take a journey, literally, to somewhere that will bring it all together.

The structure of the show is very important and is what makes it work. The opening sequences allow you to gently ease into the intimacy of the experience.  The relevance of these scenes become apparent later and when they do it lends a pleasing completeness to the piece. The space, underground vaults beneath the old treasury building, creates a charming atmosphere which contrasts nicely with the bustle of the city. The technology utilised for the final sequence is also impressive.

The individualisation of the latter two thirds of the show means that the experience will be varied for different “audience” members, even at the same performance. Due to the conversational style of this major section of the show, it can be strongly affected by the willingness of audience members to engage. The onus is very heavily on the actors, to truly inhabit their characters and make the interaction feel genuine while also steering the conversation in the necessary direction for the remainder of the show to work. They appear to meet this challenge.

This also means that you could return again and again, and have a different experience each time. Indeed, the glimpses of the other characters that you get in the opening scenes leave you wondering what their stories might be. If you go with a friend, you might be lucky enough to find out what another of these was. However, the unknown seems to be the ultimate point of this piece – that there are so many stories going on around us every day that we don’t take notice of, which we won’t ever appreciate or understand.

Now We Can Talk provides an intriguing, stimulating, fun encounter for those who are willing to give themselves over to an experience.

Kryztoff Rating: 4K