The Paper Cinema’s Macbeth

I only discovered The Paper Cinema in 2013 and this is only my second show (I’m not sure they’ve done another since). It’s the antidote to the NT’s Macbeth, telling the same story without words in seventy spellbinding minutes. Their shadow play is both simple and intricate and I loved it as much as The Odyssey five years ago.

Three ‘puppeteers’ and two musicians create a silent film live. Beautifully drawn cut-outs are projected onto a big screen (by video; I recall an overhead projector last time!) to create live animation, with a limited number of other effects like colour wash, and a brilliant Scottish influenced soundtrack and soundscape. They start on the pages of a book as the characters are introduced to us, before the story begins. Battles, murders and madness are superbly evoked in a faithful telling of the tale.

If you can take your eyes off the screen, you can see the artistry of its creation, dimly lit on stage. I honestly don’t know how they get everything in the right place and order without losing their way. The musicians also provide sound effects, but unlike radio you can see how, if you wish. Though it seems ever so simple on screen, it’s hugely detailed and skilful in creation.

The Paper Cinema are unique and their shows magical. I urge you to see for yourselves.

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Great Nights in 2013 that defy categorisation

Little Bulb’s Orpheus at BAC – the most extraordinary cocktail of concert and storytelling

Paper Cinema’s Odyssey at BAC – more storytelling, with music and charming lo-tech projections

Mischief’s The Play That Went Wrong at Trafalgar Studios – more laughs in 60 minutes than any other show – ever

Cush Jumbo’s Josephine & I at the Bush – two biographies intertwined in a virtuoso performance

ONEOFUS’ Beauty & the Beast at the Young Vic – two biographies intertwined with a gothic fairytale

PIT’s The Universal Machine at the New Diorama – a timely play with music about Alan Turing

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Orpheus

For the second time in a matter of weeks, hot on the heels of Paper Cinema’s Odyssey, BAC is hosting something completely original and unique and this time showing off the wonderful Grand Hall in the process. How to describe it is another matter!

The Grand Hall, with its proscenium stage, high ornate ceiling & pipe organ has become a 30’s /40’s Paris music hall where the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt & chanteuse Yvette Pepin (fictional?) are performing. They ‘step out’ of the concert performance on platforms in front of the stage to perform the story of Orpheus & Eurydice on the stage, playing the lead roles themselves with all other roles played by five members of the band. In effect, there is a musical prologue, interlude and epilogue with the story told in two halves in-between.

The performance style can best be compared with a silent movie – all exaggerated gestures and movement, hammed up mercilessly and a real hoot – with added retro inventiveness. The music, mostly live, is an eclectic selection of all things French including Reinhardt, Saint-Saens, Faure, Debussy & Piaf plus Bach, Monteverdi, Brahms and original compositions! The musicianship is superb – Dominic Conway’s guitar playing in Django’s (necessary) two-fingered fashion, piano, violon, accordion, double bass, flute, clarinet & percussion – and when Charlie Penn takes to the Hall’s organ it takes your breath away, quickly followed by gasps as percussionist Tom Penn proves to be an extraordinary counter-tenor!

It took a short while before my puzzlement subsided and I allowed it to cast its spell, but then it never let me go. It’s not often someone who’s been going to the theatre a few times a week for over thirty years can say ‘well, I’ve never seen anything like that before’ but that’s exactly what I did say. Sparkling originality, consummate musicianship and great fun. Absolutely not to be missed – and Little Bulb yet another company to follow.

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The Paper Cinema’s Odyssey

This is the antidote to Monday night’s technological marvel / theatrically inert Robert Lepage show (https://garethjames.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/playing-cards-1-spades). A LoTech wonder!

The Paper Cinema makes theatre with live painting / drawing onto a sort-of overhead projector (remember those? Robert Lepage used to use one!) and by moving cardboard cut-outs in front of a couple of projectors to create (sort of) animations onto a screen. The other key components are live music (guitars, piano, violin, percussion…) and brilliant sound effects. It’s a whole lot better than it sounds.

I can’t say how accurate a presentation of Homer’s The Odyssey this is because I don’t know the story well enough and in any event I was too spellbound by the artistry and inventiveness to be that bothered. This is retro loveliness and magic that’s both charming and cool; it had me captivated from the off and didn’t let me go for the entire 75 minutes.

To steal from Loserville’s advertising style – if you liked The Animals and Children Take to the Streets, you’ll love this. I’m not sure what else to say…well, just GO really…..

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