Showing @ Zoo Venue, until 29 August @ 3:00pm
The security of knowing where you come from is something which is universally satisfying. There’s no niggling doubt or endless questioning about the family you were never aware of; and most of all you feel like you belong, whether it be with your family, in your home or even in your local village. Idle Dream’s The Station: Fourstones follows Al (Malcolm Hamilton) as he struggles to comprehend the death of a Grandfather he never knew he had. Questioning his identity, Al immerses himself in his Granddad’s world, taking on his unfinished plans and dreams of finding a rainforest…in Northumberland.
Stunningly transforming from one character to the next, Hamilton cleverly captures the disdain of those around him as he follows in the footsteps of his Grandfather. From the high-speed banality of funeral chit-chat, to the ancient tyrants of the board members, his ability to morph from one to the other without so much as drawing breath is applaudable. Using a bare stage, Hamilton reinvents the world that has lay dormant, tucked away in his Grandfather’s house for years, bringing it to life with twists and turns as he maps his way through the mind of someone he barely knew. Through his imagination and belief he’s able to connect with a family he never knew he had and in doing so has left the restraints of his small town behind him. Hamilton creates a world that the audience can really believe in, taking them on a journey through ancient artefacts, giant cats and exhibition trails. It’s Al’s enduring sense of belief and innocence which makes this show all the more human. Simply, this is an exquisitely stylised piece of storytelling layered with charming moments of pathos and winsome enthusiasm: leaving you praying for some truth amongst all the memorabilia, you just have to “believe in the fantastic”.