REVIEW: INFINITY QUEST at Etcetera Theatre 4-10 August 2023

 ‘a brave attempt at something different’ ★★★

This was a performance that included music, dance, masks, painting, singing and acting. We were presented with a stage full of hanging pictures and musical Instruments, a Djembe used as a table to hold paints and a collection of masks laid out on the floor. Then there was a clear acrylic sheet hanging from the ceiling. What were we in for here?

It looked more like an art gallery installation and as it started, I questioned whether this theatre was the right place for this performance. Infinity Quest would have benefited greatly from a lot more space. This would have allowed the cast to express themselves with a lot more freedom during the dance sequences at least. 

There were times during the performance where I found myself wondering – what am I watching? That in itself is usually bad, taking your eyes off the ball and losing the thread of what is going on. But what was going on? Maybe it was up to me to find out.  It was difficult to tell what the story was, not least because, when masks were worn voices were reduced at times to little more than a mumble. However, most of the time the actors were impeccable with their delivery of lines. The accents were lovely, and the addition of French added to the mystery. And anyway, why should there be a story? It is nice to escape from the confines Hollywood has imposed on us of knowing the good guy is the one in the white hat, just so we can tell who is going to win five minutes after the start of a film. But theatre isn’t Hollywood, thank heavens!

The dialogue was like a series of poems and many parts of the script were hard to connect together but it was very easy to watch. It was one of the few plays I have ever seen that made me want to see it again the next day. Mostly because I felt like I had missed something. Although, the next day’s viewing might have left me with the same thought. Maybe that says more about me than the play. It is what you make of it. It was strange but familiar as well and this familiarity kept you watching even though the plot was not really there. But why do we have to have a plot? It would have been easy to be lazy and not let yourself make sense of it although you could just watch and enjoy the music and abstract painting that was going on. Perhaps the small space focused our attention on these things, and I was wrong about it being in the wrong theatre.

When all is said and done, it was a brave attempt at something different and isn’t that what we need? At least we have to give plays like this a chance. Could you imagine writing off “Waiting for Godot” as gobbledygook? No.

So, if what you are looking at isn’t what you first expect to see, you may find that sometimes it is worth continuing to look. If only to be shown that you no longer agree with your first impression. And that seems to be what was happening here. With a little bit of thought and effort from the audience this play will be quite rewarding. At worst, it was only 45 minutes, at best, a new genre might be in the offing. Or maybe it already exists. Immersive theatre, sort of, sitting down.

Theatre Collection and Aurelie Freoua

Presents

THE INFINITY QUEST

By Aurelie Freoua

Adapted and directed by Victor Sobchak

Etcetera Theatre until 10 Sept

Box Office https://www.citizenticket.com/events/etcetera-theatre/the-infinitive-quest-by-aurelie-freoua/

Reviewed by Robert McLanarchan