CultureTheatre
There is a massive amount of energy and emotion on stage, which is surprising, given the fact that there are only two performers. The story is told with humour, movement, props, music and sound, entirely lacking in speech. Hannah writes on a whiteboard to explain things, because writing is easier than talking about grief. Nostalgia, happiness and regret play out on stage, with moving performances from both Moss and Ralfe.
So It Goes at Shoreditch Town Hall
Billed as a story about love and loss, So It Goes was heralded as one of the highlights of the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe. Now, in the middle of a whistlestop tour of England, the show has begun a ten night run in Shoreditch Town Hall. The small room is the perfect setting for what is an extremely intimate piece. Conceived by Hannah Moss, created and performed by Moss and her friend David Ralfe, the performance tells the extremely personal story of Hannah’s relationship with her father, and the aftermath of his death.
The stage is initially set with a large picture of Hannah as a child on her Dad’s shoulders; the ultra-personal subject matter is tackled head-on, and the audience are forced to confront it. When Hannah herself comes onstage it’s almost awkward, as it feels so raw, so intrusive. However, Hannah’s incredible honesty and determination to confront something that is difficult to talk about – grief – is refreshing, and soon it’s clear to the audience why this story needs to be told.
There is a massive amount of energy and emotion on stage, which is surprising, given the fact that there are only two performers. The story is told with humour, movement, props, music and sound, entirely lacking in speech. Hannah writes on a whiteboard to explain things, because writing is easier than talking about grief. Nostalgia, happiness and regret play out on stage, with moving performances from both Moss and Ralfe.Although sometimes it feels like the words aren’t moving fast enough, and it’s difficult not to try to guess what she’s going to write next, the emotion of the story creeps up on the audience. By the climax of the piece, it’s pretty clear from the sniffing that there’s not a dry eye in the house. The collective sorrow of the audience only makes it more clear that grief is something not discussed enough. This is raw, emotional theatre that uses creative staging and humour to tell a simplistic, but universal tale. One that perhaps doesn’t get told as often as it should.
Angela Logan
So It Goes is on at Shoreditch Town Hall from 8th April until 18th April 2015, for further information or to book, visit here.
Watch the trailer for So It Goes here:
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