Evaluation: The Sound Collector, OSO Arts Centre

Evaluation: The Sound Collector, OSO Arts Centre

Have you ever ever thought of what life can be like with out sound? You wouldn’t have the ability to benefit from the noise of birds singing, or music, or the lapping of waves on a shore. And if, like Keith in The Sound Collector, you might be blind, you may discover that sound is much more priceless to you, permitting you to higher operate in a world not designed for the visually impaired. Roger McGough’s quirky, laughter-packed manufacturing explores what occurs when a stranger comes within the night time to steal everybody’s sounds, but in addition gently asks what may make them behave this fashion.

You actually can’t go mistaken with McGough’s fantastically eccentric view of the world mixed with a enjoyable present for households. Right here he’s working as soon as once more with Jam Jar Productions: their final present collectively, Cash-Go-Spherical, gained the Edinburgh Fringe Finest Youngsters’s Present award 2023. On this pleasant new manufacturing he attracts collectively a number of of his fantastic poems to construct a framework for the story of two neighbours who’re fairly totally different, however who discover a option to pay attention to one another’s wants and work in concord.

The vitality ranges all through are excessive, led by the glowing, charismatic duo of Tom Blake taking part in Keith and Loretta Hope as Topsy. They make a very nice group, demonstrating a bunch of skills from piano taking part in to puppetry, and each have wonderful singing voices. However their biggest talent is in getting the viewers engaged and an energetic a part of the efficiency. Working with McGough’s magnificent and typically barely surreal writing, they’ve entire households including to the story while having fun with wordplay and contemplating the pleasure of sounds. We’re inspired to let phrases roll round our mouths, filling the room with choruses of joyful becoming a member of in. Each Blake and Hope are sensible at fielding odd strategies from the viewers, responding genially after which working up the ad-lib to supply additional enjoyable.

Director Jonny Danciger has a deceptively intricate sound operation occurring too, utilizing a number of inventive codecs that make us take into consideration other ways of encountering sound. The story is sympathetically supported by some fabulous unique music from Steve Halliwell of Little Machine, and alongside this there are additionally recorded soundtracks co-ordinated with reside foley sound results. There’s a pleasant contact of music corridor about it at instances. Some sounds are visibly written out on playing cards and positioned with their objects, others are carried out by the actors utilizing objects and devices on stage. After which there’s the poetry itself, which permits the viewers to think about the fact of a phrase by listening to it performed out within the evocative language and rhythmic verse. It’s an absolute pleasure!

This all feeds into a delicate train of being conscious of our world and that of our neighbours, so creating an area to marvel why the Sound Collector does what they do. The shut of the present offers slightly meals for thought in regards to the pressures persons are beneath to current themselves as higher than they’re, when actually it’s not about what you appear to be, however as an alternative about being true to your genuine self. It’s a constructive, reassuring message with out being preachy.

That is such an ideal present for a household viewers and an ideal first go to to the theatre. It’s heat and welcoming, humorous and fertile, because it celebrates sound and provides everybody from toddlers to adults the means to create a nicer world. All qualities we needs to be pleased to gather!

Produced by Jam Jar Theatrical Productions
Written by Roger McGough
Directed by Jonny Danciger
Authentic music by Steve Halliwell

The Sound Collector performed at OSO Arts Centre.

You possibly can learn extra about this present in our current interview with Roger McGough right here.