★★★★★
Presented by the North East-based Puppet Company Life and Limb Puppets, in association with Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre, At Sea, promises to be a “fantastical and uplifting puppet adventure”—well, I can confirm, it is exactly that! With a sensational soundtrack and an “awe-inspiring” plot, this show is a masterclass in the craft of puppetry that can be enjoyed by anyone, of any age!
At Sea has a wholesome yet engrossing plot. It follows a sailor who is lost without their heart compass. Their quest takes them through Coral Reef, a Siren’s Lair and then right to the bottom of the ocean. The whole show is strung together by the question: will they ever make it out of the belly of the beast and find their way back home? This creates the right amount of suspense and tension for a show aimed at children aged six and above. It is well paced, well scripted and the plot is just as well executed as the puppetry.
It is visually mesmerising from start to finish. The set is beautifully designed; eye-catching; the different shades of blues, purples and greens blend together so well, thus, effortlessly setting the right tone. The lighting is minimal but effective—this show has really got to grips with the motto “less is more”. It’s refreshing to see a production that could be so unsubtle, be so refined and understated.
The puppets are brought to life with a superb amount of breath and focus. They move with such ease and spatial awareness. The shaping involved in their movement is also lyrical, rhythmical and fluid. The projections and animations are so clean yet high octane and cinematic—again leaving you completely engrossed in the visual elements of the story. The transitions are faultless too; this all adds to the authenticity of the storytelling and world-building. Kudos to the entire team.
The show is completely non-verbal, therefore as well as the visuals, music and sound also make this show so immersive and all encompassing—in the best possible way. The music is a blend between contemporary and classical. It manages to make you feel relaxed whilst keeping you completely invested in the production. In short, you are not going to doze off at any point during the hour, that’s for sure. These creative decisions reinforce the show’s ethos—which is centred around inclusivity. Director Will Steele said “I want to inspire optimism and hope in our audiences, and ensure our performances are accessible for everyone”.
Finally, the costumes—just wow! They were, like many elements of the show, so understated and simple but equally charming and complementary to the rest of the visuals. The inclusion of an old-fashioned, metal diving helmet was particularly endearing—the attention to detail is utterly admirable.
At Sea is an incredibly well crafted show that is totally faultless in its execution. It will leave you in awe of puppetry as a discipline, whilst painting a smile on your face. Please, catch this show if and when you can. Clever, creative and mystical—it really is phantasmagorical!
At Sea was performed at Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre.
Words by Cory Gourley
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.