REVIEW: SIBLINGS Daniel Passi / Overtone Theatre at The Space 9 – 13 August

"Gorgeous aesthetic and musical genius." ★★★★

In what could be either a modern or periodic concept, from a personal perspective, Siblings

sent me back in time, with a gorgeous aesthetic and musical genius.

"Siblings'' is a new production by Overtone Theatre inspired by the work

of Cuban playwright José Triana, a fundamental voice of 20th century Latin American

theatre. It tells the story of C., L. and B., three siblings who have locked themselves up in an

old theatre where they reenact the killing of their own parents. A question arises: is this a

rehearsal for a crime, a confession of guilt or a dead serious game of make believe? Taking

the theatrical act to its utmost consequences, the children soon discover what happens once

the parental order is overthrown. A tragic comical ritual of guilt, family, revolution and myth

accompanied by live music.

Creative Daniel Passi has clearly put a lot of work and thought into this project.

Experimental and expressionist directing, simple but effective lighting design and as he

translated it himself from the Cuban text, a real hats off to him. I did think that with a little

more editing (and time but of course, we all long for that…) it could be more specific for the

audience he was trying to reach. The play was abstract but the title "Siblings" was earned;

apparent and achieved through the relatable interaction on stage.

The acting was sometimes hard to place. There was great energy and commitment from

both Jack Tivey and Bethany Denham. There was little clarity and grounding of the text to

begin with but as soon as Denham broke the fourth wall and engaged with the audience,

being more direct, the play started to make a lot more sense and the different elements

within became easier to follow. Magali Jeger was present and followed her track with

precision, but with such electric dialogue and structure, I felt she could've been bolder.

The costume was a staple. The idea was constant from Hana Sofia, which in my experience

is rare to see in a lot of smaller budget theatre. It was dramaturgically meaningful.

My favourite aspect had to be the music that was underscored throughout, setting the tone

for each scene and making the shifts seamless. Benedetta Scuto created an eerie vibe and

her piano playing really lifted the piece.

Everything was very unique. It's a piece that deserves more stage time and with a little more

clarity- Siblings could be a piece that really adds to the new age of modern theatre. I look

forward to seeing what "Overtone Theatre" comes out with next.

Siblings

The Space Arts Centre

August 9th-13th 2022 @7:30pm

Reviewed by Evan L. Barker

Evan L. Barker is an alumni from East 15 (2021.) Prior to training- he'd been immersed in the

industry since the age of seven. The writing bug hit at the age of seventeen- writing his first

play and a year later producing and directing it at The Volcano Theatre in Swansea (May

2018.) Evan is also now based in London and co-founder of "The Shed Theatre Company"

where he wants to facilitate theatre that's thought provoking, progressive and accessible