If you are looking for a light-hearted, easy to grasp performance this is definitely not something you should see. Yorgos Karamalegos’ ‘Home’ is a theme-filled, hard-thinking poetic landscape performance.
I am greeted by a stage which looks like a set in process of being built, wires everywhere, lights on the floor. A rack of clothes in one corner, like a messy dressing room or backstage area. Marc Willams’ work as the Lighting Designer was something to applaud. So many different uses of lights to add depth to the performance.
The lights don’t come down, three actors walk on stage and start putting shoes on, setting up as if they’re doing a rehearsal. It is difficult to even tell if they are acting or genuinely just making it up at the start because it seemed so natural, which I thought was a really great effect. They all start to Dance, which was all very well choreographed by Pablo Aran Gimeno. Music is used throughout the performance, overlapping with words and dances which I did enjoy. The play goes onto the performers telling the story of themselves. It was not a conventional play in the slightest; the fourth wall was being broken throughout.
It is an extremely thought provoking piece, and not for the faint hearted, some scenes did make me feel uncomfortable, but I think that is exactly what was intended, which, if it was, it was done well.
There were strong messages throughout about how we cannot live without the economy, and what I got from it is we would do anything for the economy and we love it. I got from it that at parts Karamalegos was playing a real life figure of the Economy and was I feel the meaning behind the performance was open to interpretation so that could be completely not what was intended.
Tatiana Spivakova really stood out to me. She conveyed all her lines with such intent and purpose and there was meaning behind everything she had to say, and Despina Sidiropoulou’s performance was very intriguing, I was always interested in what she was saying, I find myself thinking about a lot of her lines and deeper meanings to them now.
I have to say I left the performance and can tell I will be finding meaning to this play for weeks to come. It is nothing like I have seen before. Extremely thought-provoking, a bit different and interesting to see if you can make it.
Reviewer: Sam Pears
Reviewed: 24th November 2015
