Review: HEAR. SPEAK. SEE, Expial Atrocious - Edinburgh Fringe (Online)

Dinner with strangers is always awkward, especially when you’re the guest of honour. You are cordially invited to the dinner party of your life. “We’re all friends here.” 

Hear. Speak. See by Expial Atrocious is a new 45-minute immersive streamed drama which, as the title suggests, conducts a “hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil” experience in a dinner party setting. 

Co-written, directed & performed by Nic Lawton, Ez Holland and Faye Bingham, from a first person point-of-view style perspective, the viewer essentially becomes the main character, which immediately has you drawn into this creative piece of performance. The ‘normal’ dinner party experience slowly starts to turn into a twisted scale of events. 

There are strong individual performances from all three actors. The viewer is continuously trying to guess what might happen next during this 45-minute piece. Holland is perfect at bringing the light-hearted humour, keeping the mood light until conflict arises; whereas Lawton brings a more serious side to the table, which comes across brilliantly with the slight eccentricity of the story. The quiet and reserved performance from Bingham compliments the other two actors. 

Andy Bingham & Luke Pile-Rowland’s clever camera work is like a reimagined game of Cluedo as it makes you think about your senses, whilst trying to work out what’s going on with everyone at the same time. Additional voices from Nick MacCormack also add to the atmosphere. 

A truly riveting, curious and intriguing show, which will have you gripped from start to finish. 

**** Four Stars

Reviewed by: Emily East

Hear. Speak. See is available to view via Fringe Online.