• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides
  • Ed Fringe

EdFringe 2017 – The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk at the Traverse Theatre

August 19, 2017 by Maggie Kelly Leave a Comment

Review of: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
Price:
£9.50-£21.50

Reviewed by: Maggie Kelly
Rating:
4
On August 19, 2017
Last modified:August 19, 2017

Summary:

Kaleidoscopic tale of the famous Chagalls

More Details

The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk has been around for quite a while now, marking Emma Rice’s last piece at Kneehigh before leaving for what turned out to be a rather controversial stint at the Globe. And watching this, one can see why the panel decided to pick her. There is a delicate sense of time passing, of doing much with little, of letting words and movements speak for themselves and (despite a towering majesty of a set) not letting style trump the substance.

Casting the piece as a two-hander is a bold move, as the enormity of the October Revolution and the historical events thereby set in motion could feel rather small and lost with only two dedicated performers. However, Rice manages to conjure a sense of absence that is vital within the ever-changing world. Empty pairs of shoes litter the stage at the end, a visual reminder of the Holocaust and the countless characters referenced throughout the piece, but never shown. A disembodied voice hangs on the end of a telephone, a baby daughter is shown with a blank puppet. The Chagalls feel like they are floating on a wide, wide ocean, the set a raft held together with ropes and pins, bashed around by the huge waves of what happens around them and just barely clinging on.

Married to this absence is a glorious, kaleidoscopic explosion of colour. Lighting Designer Malcolm Rippeth has truly been given all the toys to play with, and the manipulation of emotion and links to Chagall’s painting and colour schemes is absolutely flawless. There is a sense of the magical realist about the design, a world where everything is too bright, picking out the brightest of shades instead of mellowing them into the greys and beiges of reality.

However, this remains a very solid four-star show. The only thing that is missing is a sense of vulnerability, some moments where one longs to see past the ‘art’ of the production and into the souls of both Bella and Mark. Missing the first four days of your daughter’s life would probably count as a reasonable excuse for homicide, yet this depth of emotion doesn’t quite come across in Bella’s response. The tragedy and the emotional turmoil that must accompany with the October revolution feels woven out of hemp and paint, we don’t experience the glory and the terror in full. The visuals are gorgeous, the acting is extraordinary and the way the music intertwines with the piece is stunning. The piece encourages us to spectate as outsiders rather than to watch and empathize as someone within the story, with the lovers themselves.

Avatar

Author: Maggie Kelly

Filed Under: Featured, Review Tagged With: Edinburgh Fringe 2017

Join the discussion Cancel reply

NEWS / Living Record launches digital venue at the Brighton Fringe

The Living Record has launched as one of three new digital venues at the Brighton Fringe this summer. The first [Read More]

NEWS / Waiting for Lefty by Two Lines Productions Announce Cast

Clifford Odets’ 1935 agitprop play about cab drivers fighting for fair pay, has been adapted for 2021 and is presented [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Gavin Maxwell and William Townsend talk Anthropocene

Launching on this year’s World Earth Day (Thursday 22nd April), Anthropocene: The Human Era is a digital choose-your-own adventure from [Read More]

NEWS / Thick ‘n’ Fast announce new show General Secretary

Who run the world? A satirically comic journey through power and diplomacy as two highly unqualified women are suddenly landed [Read More]

Guides / 5 Tools for Actors to Enter the Theatre World like a Pro

Becoming a successful actor is no small feat. Fortunately, for those interested in improving their acting skills, plenty of tools [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • Waiting for Lefty by Two Lines Productions Announce Cast
  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • Katy Owen: Auditioning for Oxford School of Drama
  • Writing the Perfect Press Release
  • Bull - Young Vic
  • Crowdfunding In Theatre - An Overview
  • How to Applying for Arts Grants and Funding
  • A Streetcar Named Desire- A cry of pain- Young Vic
  • Is this the real location of Ambridge?
  • 5 Stage Elements to Consider for a Rousing Theatrical Production
  • Avatar

    Maggie Kelly
    Author

  • August 19th, 2017
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Blue Pie Media

    Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

    Email sent!