Showing @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 6 Feb only (touring)
Trying to describe The Paper Cinema’s Odyssey is a task as challenging as any of those faced by the Homeric hero. The level of inventiveness, the richness of detail and the sheer amount of effort to produce this little gem are simply staggering.
This production does not fall neatly into any category. It opens with projected sketches of the main characters created live on-stage and quickly develops into a surprisingly cinematic experience fusing puppetry, animation and live music, and sound effects. All of this takes place in full view of the audience, encouraging viewers to compare the on-screen magic with the nuts and bolts needed to create it.
The sparse dialogue appears as text, artfully incorporated into the projections and serves to clarify key scenes, but it’s fair to say that the story here is less important than this highly accessible re-telling of it. There is comedy, pathos, romance, terror and drama, all heightened by the striking original score. The ingenious manipulations of the puppeteers and their skilled use of the projection equipment elevate the experience from straightforward entertainment to visual art. Not only have The Paper Cinema enrooted a theatrical genre which is entirely their own, they also appear to have absolutely mastered the form.
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