Edinburgh Fringe 2009: Out of Chaos (Out of Chaos)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Out of Chaos
Date:	12/08/09 (87 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nicely confusing.

Disadvantages: Confusing.

Temple Theatre's award-winning show 'Out of Chaos' comes to the Edinburgh Fringe for 2009, and presents a deliberately confusing, often perplexing smorgasbord of multicultural delights that all comes together in the end...

Actually, that's a lie, and would sort of ruin the point.

Six performers of mixed cultural and ethnic heritage take turns supporting, interrupting and fighting each other to narrate a mixture of classical myths and personal tribulations in a show that explores the inherent misunderstandings of communication in all walks of life, explored through lengthy, passionate monologues in Spanish and Japanese, and relationship breakdowns. The show examines how stories can be misconstrued when passed on, or misinterpreted by both parties. Perhaps there can never be a universal truth.

The show begins with a monologue explaining the Ancient Greek origin of the universe, an attempt to create order from chaos, a theme that hangs over this diverse and exciting show. One moment an unsettling angry tirade, the next a spontaneous, energetic dance erupts from nowhere, followed by a soothing musical number.

Despite this self-conscious obliqueness, or more likely because of it, 'Out of Chaos' is an enjoyable and accessible show. Multi-lingual narratives are illustrated with revealing mimes, ensuring that the audience is never left too much in the dark - except when it is more effective to do so - while frequent medleys reprise much of the action thus far in a manner that almost, almost begins to make some sort of cohesive sense.

Summary: Temple Theatre.