@ Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh until Sunday 30 August 2015 @ 13:55
In 2014 So It Goes made a lasting impression at the Edinburgh Fringe. The show was a massive success and has returned to the festival in 2015 for the final week. Now audiences will have another opportunity to be drawn into the magic.
The show is not your typical theatre performance and this due to the way the story is presented. So It Goes is written and performed by Hannah Moss and David Ralfe and they like to experiment with words, communication and storytelling. Hannah is coming to terms with the loss of her father. After seven years she still can’t find the words to express her sadness and grief. She expresses her thoughts by writing them on a whiteboard that is hanging around her neck. She tells the story of her close relationship with her father and the methods she used to deal with the tragic loss at such a young age. David on the other hand plays a series of characters during the play, but takes on the significant roles of Hannah’s mother and father.
So It Goes pulls the heartstrings without feeling manipulative or obvious. Even though we are informed of the tragic circumstances at the start of the performance there is a spontaneity in the way it is presented. This is due in part to the chemistry between Hannah and David but also down to the illustrated world they inhabit. At times props and locations are displayed as cardboard cut outs and this paints a visual world where spoken language is not necessary.
Due to the lack of speech there are silent periods that offer times for reflection and this heightens the emotion. The unspoken nature of the show causes each facial expression, smile and hand movement to have great significance, making So It Goes to feel like a fresh, innovative and emotional theatrical experience.