(4 / 5)

A House Repeated

Battersea Arts Centre

In a transverse stage, little set but two chairs and two hospitable hosts, A House Repeated is unlike any other show I have experienced.

Described as a game show piece of theatre, it was as if we were transported into imaginary cluedo. Acting in two teams, we made decisions as a team when faced with choices of direction and actions. With no idea the outcome of this experience, we willingly engaged in a comedic yet creative piece of theatre that could have lasted for an hour up to several.

Unfortunately for this company, two audience members of an older persuasion were not so open and left very quickly. While it would seem this would disturb the piece, the hosts were understanding, the other audience members made this comical and this helped to return to the ‘normality’ that we had been involved in. This was nothing to do with the clever on stage interaction, but a naivety of these particular members to the different between our traditional theatre and the more experimental and immersive theatre that is challenged today.

Beginning in control, we were told mostly what options were available for our movement throughout our imaginary building, we were also told what the building looked like and so little was left to us to decide. We began hesitate, until we realised that the options given to us were not the only options, giving us the freedom to think more for ourselves, warming up to the concept. This is until we were given the chance to decide ourselves. Hilarity and a range of possibilities were open to us, giving us slight control to what we wanted to see and where we wanted to be. Anything was possible and it brought a lot of fun and laughter.

We were given the chance to be a team but let our imagination run – enjoying the mystery and the joy of such an interesting and fun performance art.