What I liked
Honestly, after a full day of my own show and then seeing many, many shows and settling into Start Swimming at 10pm and knowing I was about to see something described as “abstract” and “surreal” I really thought I’d have to struggle to stay interested.
I was pleasantly surprised by my intense emotional reaction to something that at first glance seems too cold to care about its audience.
Stark set & costumes, weird (but cool) masks, repetitive lines, harsh sound effects put me on edge, but then took me on an unexpected ride.
Repetitive lines are the hardest ones to learn, and I’ve got to hand it to the director and actors for keeping this tight and moving the way they did. Amazing.
I was moved to tears by the tenseness, futility, frustration and despair these people are faced with as they fight, are broken, give in, give up and refuse to bend – transitionally seamlessly through it all.
Excellent concept, performance & direction.
I also appreciated the use of multiple languages.
What I didn't like
While the use of sound is cool, and probably necessary, it can get pretty rough to listen to. I’m fairly aurally sensitive, and it is a lot to handle. If loud noises bother you, it will be tough to tolerate. Something a little easier on the audience would help.
I’m a potty mouth, but it was a lot of “fuck yous” even for me. It loses potency after a while.
And I could do without the extreme description of torture, or maybe not have it directed at the only woman in the piece. Maybe it’s supposed to be part of the point, but it made my skin crawl and not in a good way – it just felt misogynistic.
My overall impression
Abstract, surreal and I didn’t expect to like it so much.
