Festival Fringe Reviews
- 100
Two men and two women suddenly meet in an empty room containing only four wooden boxes. Where are there, what has happened to them? "Welcome to death" is the greeting. They are now to embark on a brief journey back down the memories of their lives. The clock is ticking, the counting begins. 100 is the first play produced by the international Imaginary Body Theatre company. Over a year in its creation, this is a stunningly original and mind-blowing piece of drama, performed with energy, commitment and sheer passion.
The storyline was conceived from the question "What is essential in Life?" How do we choose which single memory is the most valuable? Juggling these philosophical thoughts in the air, artistic director, Christopher Heimann collaborated with producer Diene Petterle and scriptwriter Neil Monaghan to dramatise this intellectual debate into a narrative.
The setting is the waiting room to Eternity, and guided by the calm and compassionate Teacher (deftly played by Lawrence Werber), four characters (deceased) are in search of their most precious memory. Lukas, boyish and naive, the charming Carla, and Adam and Berin, a couple in love, they now all take it in turns to select an experience in the past they wish to treasure for ever. This moment will be captured on film, and all other memories will be erased forever.
Each person's scene is dramatised by the entire ensemble: a park on a summer Sunday, a commuter tube train, an office party, and a jungle. Props are a few bamboo sticks with sounds effects of traffic, birds, and insects cleverly created by vocal dexterity. Carla (a memorable, delicate performance by Tanya Munday) recalls being twelve years old, trying to look grown-up in her mother's powder and lipstick. That image moving from innocence to womanhood is still strong in her mind and she wants to hold on to it.
Adam and Berin jointly recall when they first met, reliving their personal thoughts. Was it love at first sight? Memory undoubtedly plays tricks so can they believe what actually happened that day, what they felt about each other. Meanwhile Lukas cannot forget his childhood discovery that the world is as round as an orange but the sceptical villagers refuse to believe him.
After each memory the teacher questions their choice. "Why? Were you happy? Are you being honest with yourself?"
Like a choreographed dance, weaving in and out of life's precious moments through pain and joy, love and resentment, failure and achievement, the cast perform in fast, physical, intimate unison with superb clarity of voice and rich, imaginative vision. An incredibly impressive debut.
"100" at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2002 is performed by the Imaginary Body Company at the Smirnoff Underbelly until 25th August, 2002.
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