Review: PERFORMERS’ TRAVEL GUIDE, Riverside Studios
Written and performed by Scott Sparrow, Performers’ Travel Guide tells the story of Ivan’s search for a place to fulfil his dream of performing as a dancer. With the action moving from the village of Curtaincall, where Performing Arts are banned, to solo sea voyages and a sparsely populated floating stage, Sparrow’s boundless energy and considerable range of talents keeps the narrative moving along snappily.
With hardly any props, Sparrow charms us into entering these different worlds. Switching neatly, and never confusingly, between different villagers in a market (ironically called Brecht, Brooke, Stanislav and so on), Sparrow convincingly populates the village through his characterisations, mime, movement, and impressive vocal sound effects.
When Ivan has to leave Curtaincall in order to live out his dream, Sparrow’s depiction of the ensuing solo voyage (although accompanied by a sentient tutu!) shows a different side to his talents. Using only his hands to create flying fish and other creatures encountered, Sparrow conjures up echoes of the sort of magic that Life of Pi had, but through the simplest of means. When Ivan reaches the floating stage, characters met earlier and storylines started previously are all nicely brought together - even the tutu gets its own backstory.
Simple lighting changes help the audience keep up with the locational shifts and character switches, and the occasional music track allows Sparrow to enter a less frenetic state (and catch his breath).
Performers’ Travel Guide is one of the shows in Riverside Studios’ Bitesize Festival and certainly meets the festival’s aim of presenting fresh voices and ‘leftfield perspectives’.
When a solo performer embodies a dizzying array of characters, it is hard for an audience to engage deeply with any one character, so while there is an emotional turn at the end, it is a small tug at the heart. Best to approach Performers’ Travel Guide expecting an enjoyable and entertaining hour of storytelling.
Performers’ Travel Guide, with its simplicity of staging and Sparrow’s versatility, is a reminder of the delight of a well-told bedtime story.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Mike Askew
Performers’ Travel Guide plays at Riverside Studios until 7 July, with further info here.
