One of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed pieces of English theatre told through the medium of Japanese Butoh. Butoh, of course known for it’s ‘crude’ and ‘uncouth’ movements, allowed the many faced star – Christopher Samuel Carroll – to portray a trove of emotions throughout the 55 minute performance. And what a performance! Carroll draws you through the war for Man’s soul without a misstep.
The bare stage and performance style was a joy for the imagination. As the classic was recited the stage shifted and blurred into the depths of hell and rose back to the idyllic garden which was the set for the original sin. With simple lighting, the stage was contorted and reshaped to allow Carroll to portray a host of characters.
Carroll as the star was masterful. With contortions of face and the power of inflection he drew us deep into the garden. A phenomenal one man show, Carroll had the audience in hushed silence for the length of the performance. A feat a number of solo artists are unable to do.
The irony of this performance, of course, is that while it covered hell and its inhabitants, the performance was delightful and heavenly. A simple but effective performance, retelling one of the most well known stories in Western history. A performance rich in emotion and an absolute credit to the Bare Witness Theatre Company.
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