The best theatre can help you see the world in a whole new way. Other shows however, like Prism, show you the world exactly how it is, but in ways you may previously not have understood. For younger audiences at least, the mysteries of science can feel like an overwhelming hurdle to overcome. Books and television have tried for years to make such things accessible to audiences of all ages, and this is a commendable example of theatre doing the same.
Prism is a show in which two detectives, Hue (Samuel Jameson) and Pop (Nicola Jo Cully) are called upon to investigate a house where colour has seemingly gone amok. The result is a short but inventive play that benefits from the numerous ways that light can manipulate or even create whole new surroundings. Symbols disappear and reappear, colours mix on stage, and comedic misunderstandings are commonplace. The way that Prism uses light in the name of entertainment and education can be quite breath-taking, even if you know how it all works.
Relying as it does on non-verbal cues and, often involving small props for demonstration, the show’s communication isn’t always the best. It takes a bit of time to win over those younger members of the audience who stand to gain the most from its offbeat, alternative mode of learning. Often it proves to be a case of bigger being better; changing colour spots on the wall and a cake-related signage farce prove to be far more engaging than some of the introductory stunts.
Jameson and Cully make for a thoroughly entertaining double act, their apparent confusion and clowning standing in neat opposition to the smarts upon which their show is built. You go in expecting an entertaining, funny slice of learning and that is exactly what the pair deliver.
Ultimately, Prism can’t quite promise the scientific thrills and spills needed to keep the unbroken attention of a room full of children, but it sure beats sitting in your average classroom.