Review: Almost Fine, Friends Meeting House

Some shows arrive with bells, whistles, and enough lighting cues to power a small village. Almost Fine is not one of those shows. Directed and performed by A‑Yao (Come on Creative Studio, Taiwan), it reminds us that when the narrative is strong and the performer knows how to hold a room, the rest becomes secondary. This is performance stripped back to its bones; no spectacle, no ornamentation—just a performer and complete honesty.

It’s also the kind of work that feels entirely at home at the Brighton Fringe, a festival celebrated for its eclecticism and its appetite for risk. Wander through Brighton in May and you’ll find everything from bold new writing to late‑night cabaret, experimental circus, drag, comedy, and intimate solo shows tucked into unexpected corners of the city. The Fringe thrives on this diversity—on artists who push boundaries, test ideas, and embrace the rawness of small‑scale performance. Almost Fine sits comfortably within that landscape, offering a thoughtful, movement‑driven counterpoint to the festival’s louder, more flamboyant offerings.

This 30‑minute blend of physical theatre and contemporary dance explores gender, identity, and the quiet, relentless effort of simply keeping afloat. A‑Yao is most certainly a skilled performer, moving with remarkable flexibility and fluidity – bending into positions I didn’t think were possible. The movement is abstract, often chaotic, but it’s a perfect embodiment of the idea of only ever being almost fine. One moment pulses with club‑floor energy; the next slips into the meditative rhythm of ritual. Each shift in tempo reveals another facet of a life lived in motion. It’s intimate, vulnerable, and at times unexpectedly tender.

The staging is deliberately raw: no lavish set, no decorative lighting, nothing to hide behind. It’s a bold choice, and for the most part, it works. Yet there are moments where a touch of design—a visual frame, a subtle atmospheric layer—might have sharpened the focus and elevated the experience from intimate to unforgettable. A‑Yao’s physicality is compelling, but a bolder design choice could have given the work a clearer frame.

Still, Almost Fine captures the spirit of the Fringe: exploratory, personal, and unafraid to ask its audience to feel something through movement alone. And for the most part, it succeeds in delivering on that mission statement.

Directed by: A-Yao
Co-creator & Development: Patty Zhu
Produced by: Benson Lin
Production Assistants: Vicky Lin, Doris Chuang

Almost Fine has completed its run at this year’s Brighton Fringe