Sadly there are no silly stories this week as we are attempting to be little bit more intellectual! (We can but try) So...
This week saw one half of the Black Cat's (Cara) collaborating with the lovely Emma Kelly on a theatre review. Here are their thoughts on the intriguingly brilliant 'Stories from an Invisible Town' at The New Wolsey Theatre:
Diverse, unconventional and…there are too many adjectives to describe this oddly charming theatre show. First shown at the Pulse Festival in Ipswich this summer, ‘Stories from an Invisible Town’ last night returned to the New Wolsey Theatre, this time as part of its UK tour.Hugh Hughes tells us from the very beginning that ‘Stories from an Invisible Town’ is not a ‘real’ theatre show and his baffling yet entertaining mixture of presentations, film and radio go some way to making this show distinctly different. Produced by Hoipolloi, and in association with The Junction in Cambridge, ‘Stories from an Invisible Town’ allows the audience a privileged look into Hughes’ ‘memory project’. Joined on stage by his brother and sister, Delyth and Derwyn, as well as Jerry and Tom who provide music and technical support, Hugh takes the audience on a Snowdonian ride into his childhood memories, mixing the very funny with the very poignant.At various points throughout the performance, the audience were left wondering how much of what they were watching on stage was rehearsed and how much was improvised; a feature of many of Hughes’ performances. Despite erring on the side of unconventional, Hughes’ play remained relatable and up-to-date throughout.The laid back mixture of well-timed comedy and compellingly executed poignancy created a totally fascinating and enjoyable watch.
There is also a fun interactive website, great for procastination, as if we need an excuse: www.invisibletownstories.co.uk
After reading the review and chatting with Cara and Emma, I had to ask - was it true? Or, more to the point, did they believe it to be true? They were undecided, but yes it did seem true. The review states that 'Hughes tells us from the very beginning that ‘Stories from an Invisible Town’ is not a ‘real’ theatre show'...
This got me thinking - how can we as an audience know if something is true or real- just because we are told it is or it is it? In today’s society we are constantly playing with fantasy (the film, the play, the book) and reality, we want the fantasy to be as real as possible. But if fantasy does become reality - what happens then?
I could bore you with a million waffly answers (ok, not quite a million, but a million sounds impressive), however, I'll leave you to reflect.
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I met Hugh Hughes as his 'creator', Shôn Dale-Jones in 2010... If anyone can make you look at fantasy and reality in different lights, it has to be him! He said something like 'The closer you push reality to fantasty, the more interesting it becomes!' Wish I could have come with you all!! :) Leigh
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