Review: Moments, by Theatre Re – 4.5 stars
Good theatre is so often about Moments, so it’s an apt title for a show like this.
In Moments, Theatre Re takes us through all the little intricacies that go into the construction of a Moment. This show is a love letter to Craft, to the creation of Theatre and the minutiae of movement on stage. It’s one of those productions that reminds you theatre truly is an Artform as well as entertainment.
Moments operate in a very relaxed style. We get very little in the way of pretension (except for the fun little bits all theatre must allow itself) or impenetrable fustiness. The quartet of Guillaume Pigé, Alex Judd, Dr. Katherine Graham, and the disembodied but ever-present Benjamin Adams, are approachable and earnest as they delve into the creation of a Moment. The group have such a likeable and unassuming sincerity that you’re immediately onboard with whatever they want to show you. And yet at the same time, it has a dreamlike quality; a lulling luxuriance that carries you like clouds on the breeze.
It’s also fascinatingly analytical, demonstrating how every tiniest little movement can matter and the importance of collaborative discussion in building that ideal sequence. The love and dedication these performers have for what they do alone is extremely moving, and seeing what that dedication produces even more so.
Pigé, the conceiver of the show, has an impeccable understanding of physicality, Mime, and Clowning, and his demonstration of the exaggeration of mundane gestures is fascinating to watch. As a veteran wielder of the invisible cigarette, I must bow deeply to a true master. The transportative score from Judd, Graham’s spot-on lighting, and Benjamin’s eerie manipulation of sound all perfectly accent Pigé’s performance. Wonderful as he is alone, he would not be anywhere near as impactful without them. It helps that the other three are just as willing to bare their souls to the audience. Moments truly let’s the audience in and trusts them, which is a brave thing to do in theatre and very rewarding when it goes right.
At the close, we see the completed Moment that the show has spent the last 50 minutes building. And it’s mesmerising. It tells a powerfully emotive little narrative with only a few scraps of coherent dialogue and leaves many a breath held when it ends. We thought, perhaps, it could have afforded a last little nod from the performers, with some kind of small acknowledgement of what they had just created. This maybe could have allowed for definitive closing of the loop in this story of Craft. As it is, it is still wonderful.
Moments is a special show. A love-letter to theatre that isn’t inaccessible to non-theatre people. To the lay folks, I’d think it opens their eyes a little to the intricacies of creating theatre. To theatre folk, it’s a beautiful reminder of why we love it so much.
Tobacco Factory, Bristol, Wednesday 22 October.
Theatre Re are touring Moments until March 2025:
Tuesday 28th January – Wednesday 29th January
Capital Theatres Studio, 13 / 29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT
Monday 10th February – Wednesday 12th February
Norwich Playhouse, 42-58 St Georges St, Norwich, NR3 1AB
Tuesday 11th March
The Lighthouse, 21 Kingland Rd, Poole, BH15 1UG