40 Feathered Winks

The Paper Birds from England have created my pick of the day. From the inspired slice offered at the 2pm taster session, the buzz about this show sounded loudest. And we were not disappointed. Five actors inhabit eight characters in a non linear chronicle of events in, on and around the bed.

Simple costumes (white underwear or coloured pyjamas) and a simple set (three beds and three screens) highlight the supremely choreographed performances of the players. One night stands, love, despair, depression, hope, dreams, disease, laughter, nightmares and violence play out to an impressively complex live musical accompaniment. Taped sounds provide a tick tock of time element while bleeps and pings herald the hospital segment. Time lapse is also employed creatively and allows a full appreciation of the bodily talents of the actors and dancers.

The cathartic fight scene from our bookish lovers is worryingly physical, the drunken fumble is depressingly recognisable, and the post partum depression is, as it should be, difficult to witness. It is impossible to decide if it´s the players or the single keyboardist/sound engineer who dominates the stage, so don´t, just witness a poignant slice of bedtime life.