Not Panicky: Different Journeys
What seems like a simple presentation of a final project soon proves its power thanks to the hard work of Rachel Clive's direction and research, shared by her four performers.
Both the cast and crew showed appreciation in seeing an audience and the audience showed appreciation on seeing a live performance – especially one that sent them on a journey – each different and thus giving the individual audience member their own personal experience.
The show is about many things but two themes became clear to me – one was about rivers. Water. The environment. What water is and why it's important. The other theme was the person. Each person's different lives. And here, the performers bravely open up to us about themselves. Euan Haytom tells us his autism won't define him while sharing his love and fear for the environment, Chloe Maxwell tells of her love for dancing and her sister with a beautiful movement piece. Alison MacKenzie's perfectly timed performance with perhaps my personal favourite film was a stand out (who doesn't love animals?), and Hughie McIntyre, the person with the most experience in life, tells us with blunt honesty of the 16 year "horror" of his time in Lennox Castle while remembering his joy at seeing the beauty of the environment outside that prison.
We were very well informed of the restrictions and safety and the actors themselves kept each other safe by not standing too close. They somehow still seemed to interact and engage with each other which shows how skilled they have become even under the devastating circumstances. For me, having worked in the project very briefly, I knew how much work was done and I admire and applaud everyone involved.
5 stars
Emma McCaffrey
More information on Rachel Clive's work is available via the following link: https://rachoclyde.wixsite.com/rachelclive-projects
Images: Jessy Earl Photography