Presented by Salt & Poppet Theatre
Reviewed on 18 February 2017
There’s more than meets the eye to Inside The Walls, a project that Theresa O’Connor has spent years developing. The entire story is contained in a large book, and as she turns the pages, she creates new pop-up sets for the marionette heroine of this story to explore.
Izzy is a young girl exploring her new surroundings after her family moves house. The self-appointed leader of the Secret Adventure Squad, she’s convinced that there’s a mystery to be found in her new home, and she is soon proved right.
It’s a charming idea, and the pop up book is wired to include lighting while projections are also used to good effect and the entire performance is broadcast on a screen above O’Connor in real time, so that everyone in the audience can get a good close up view.
Some of the puppetry is rather clumsy and the story is very slow to develop at first, which makes for a somewhat restive audience but once the pace picks up there are no such problems.
It’s a wonderful concept that captures the imagination, and though the show could benefit from a few tweaks, the excited question and answer session afterwards showed that the young audience was thoroughly engaged.
Reviewed by Alexis Buxton-Collins
Rating out of 5: 3
Venue: Tandanya Theatre at Live From Tandanya
Season: 3-5/3, 11/3
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $17
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/inside-the-walls
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