HIGHWAY ONE
****
Thurs 7 Jun, Enfys TV Studios Cardiff.
As apart of the Festival of Voice line-up, Highway One is a magical mystery tour that takes you on a surreal journey with the gods, the undead and mortals in the depths of a crisis; a real Greek tale brought to you in Technicolor.
It focuses around protagonist Mari as she tryies to make sense of her life as it breaks down into a chaotic spiral. The Pandora’s box breaks open when a centaur, a dead Italian filmmaker (in this case, Pier Paolo Pasolini) and a Mystic takes her on a trip to Delphi, a journey to the Oracle. The absurdly funny pilgrim delves into how we cope with grief while never tipping into bleakness.
The show integrates immersive theatre, video projections and musical breaks, elevating the piece to something really special. Co-writer and composer Katell Keineg performs a variety of songs breaking up the narrative, allowing the audience to be refreshed like a wave washing over sand. Beautifully accompanied by musicians Eugene Capper, Iwan Huws and Gwion Llewelyn the integration of music becomes a core element of what makes this show so charming.
Christopher Elson and Siwan Morris put in wonderful funny and potent performances, the former as Pasolini and the latter as Mari. Tom Mumford as the stoic centaur is a highlight, leading Mari and the audience on this adventure. Seren Vickers is hysterically funny as an ancient mystic trying to cope with the modern world and all its oddities. It would be amiss to not mention the gang of old ladies who are scattered throughout the space to bark one-liners and help the show’s immersive elements integrate smoothly.
The set design is a real jewel in the crown here. Every part of the show has so much creative spirit spilling out of it; it’s refreshing to see a theatre piece where every element of the show has been meticulously crafted and still retains a childlike imagination.
It’s a magical adventure that really does take you on a funny emotional journey. I only hope that the show will have a second run outside of its Festival of Voice run that has sadly finished.
Highway One performed as part of the Festival of Voice
words Jaydon Martin
photo August 012