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Expect the unexpected in this feelgood, creative adaptation of Gogol’s classic story, with silly sleuthing, slapstick and shadowplay.Summary
Rating
Good
Christmas has arrived at Spitalfields Market! The mulled wine is steaming, the craft stalls are buzzing and the restaurants are heaving. So what better way to take a pause from all the hectic yuletide activity than to spend an hour at a little pop up theatre just round the corner, for a quirkily funny family production?
Nikolai Gogol’s classic tale The Overcoat is adapted by Aysil Aksehirli and brought innovatively to life by Wildefolk Theatre. When overcoats start to go missing across town, Ted and Sam from the Department of Very Important Investigations are tasked with solving the mystery. Their sleuthing leads them to seek out Akaky Akakievich, a highly forgettable man whose actions make him very memorable. Needing a winter coat, Akaky starves and freezes himself to save money to get one, which is then stolen from him, so he returns as a ghost to try to right the wrong.
True to the spirit of Gogol, this is a delightfully absurd production. Our dynamic detective duo, played enthusiastically by Eoin Lynch and Iris Schmid, set off across town to track down the solution, using physical performance, shadowplay, slapstick and general silliness in their pursuit of the truth. Both are slick performers, moving the action along at a good pace, whilst interacting playfully with the audience. With a hint of Monty Python and a gentle evolution, the tale moves between comedy and compassion as we, and the detectives, find ourselves considering ideas of basic human needs and our responsibility to care for each other: a simple shift, well accomplished and very manageable for children and their adults alike.
There are some beautifully imaginative ideas in the show, with delightful set and puppet designs from Lynch and Anna Chiarin. The staging is full of secrets that are revealed as the investigation progresses. Then, with the light from a simple torch, characters are projected, brought to life using cardboard cutouts and even a pop-up book. From tiny people to oversized, manic figures, they are visually impressive as they interact in real time with the live actors. In a magic moment, one audience member is left holding an invisible balloon. It’s a room in which to expect the unexpected, and the spectators love it.
The two performers are indeed excellent, as is the storytelling. However, it’s perhaps the tech that needs some work in this pop up environment, with the lighting rather patchy in places. The soundtrack is great when it is introduced, but it feels inconsistent, with heavy silences early in the show that are made conspicuous by the success of the sound when it is used later. It would definitely be nice to have more of it, to even out the texture.
As it stands, this is a great show, and enjoyed enormously by the audience. But it has potential to be even better, perhaps in a different space or with a bigger budget. I’m certainly going to look out for this one, to see how it develops in the future.
Music by: Oguz Kaplangı
Adapted by: Aysil Aksehirli
Puppets & Set design by: Eoin Lynch and Anna Chiarin
Produced by: Wildefolk Theatre
The Overcoat runs at Spitalfields Market until 23 December. Further information and booking details can be found here.
