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A collection of Celtic stories lovingly told with a luscious musical underscore, Three Things That Are Never Seen is a still and magical piece.Summary
Rating
Good
In the empty old church which is now The Space, we walk in to ethereal folk music, beautifully performed by James Ireland. Straight-away transported to a dream-version of Ireland, the Celtic vibe is set. A brief explanation from Charlotte O’Reilly, writer and performer of Three Things That Are Never Seen, helps to set the scene, of her compiling of stories into the project we watch tonight.
O’Reilly has gathered a series of tales, old and new, and woven them together with into another narrative. A man appears in her dreams each night, played by Ireland, and they share stories of animals and people, of the moon and sunlight, of love and loss, and of life and death. Underscored by luscious music on guitar, fiddle and flutes, traditional sounding songs kept us in a faraway, magical land. I’m sure dramaturg Nicholas Johnson will have helped craft this into its delightful shape.
O’Reilly is charming in her storytelling. It did, however, feel a bit samey in tone throughout. The kind of dreamy stories she tells is right for this vibe, but I kept wondering if there was some more excitement that could be injected. There’s a whole stage to move in, but she is often very still – though moments of dance are energetic and attention-grabbing. The tone of her voice is lilting and lovely, but some of the darker and dramatic moments call for more variety. Joined by Ireland on stage the pair are visually striking though, with his tall frame contrasting with the smaller O’Reilly, while a rather menacing-looking puppet brings some extra life.
It’s a glorious idea, to find the fabric of your culture in its myths and traditional narratives. As an English person I feel far away and unknowledgeable about the stories my ancestors told, and I’m sure many others from my and other cultures will feel the same. O’Reilly has found inspiration in her heritage and I’m so glad she has run with it.
Written by: Charlotte O’Reilly
Produced by: Minikin Theatre and Iona Bremner
Music and puppeteering by: James Ireland
Sound by: Richard Durning and James Ireland
Dramaturgy by: Nicholas Johnson
Three Things That Are Never Seen is on at The Space until 2 Sep 2023. Further information and bookings can be found here.
It will also be available for two weeks on-demand, more information here.
