bpk.txt

http://www.nightnews.net/fringe2008.htm#bpk

The Park Keeper - Belt Up (Nothing to See/Hear)
venue :: C central
see links :: http://www.beltuptheatre.co.uk
http://www.beltuptheatre.co.uk/park.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UBj0qAJVik
category :: Theatre (Immersive)
Reviewed date :: 21 08 08

Review: The 'Red Room' space by 'Belt Up' was a nice idea and the 
Park Keeper was certainly an experience. The audience is led into 
a large, mostly red draped auditorium furnished as a roomy boudoir
and the usual 'fourth wall' is mostly dispensed with. The audience
mingle with the cast and the action takes place in front, behind and
all around. Billed as an immersive experience its perhaps less such
than one may have anticipated but its still a good try. The cast 
chivvy people forwards, direct them as to where to stand and 
occasionally invited the odd person to do the odd thing or nudge
them like affectionate animals. In the course of the play they may
also take one or two aside to whisper the odd delightful story in 
their ear, though towards the end the audience were pretty much 
cornered and at the casts feet. The Park Keeper is a new piece of 
writing by Nikolaus Morris who also directs and it is perhaps because
it is a well less trodden work than some of the several other shows
by Belt Up at this years fringe, that its worth is harder to evaluate.
In its favour, it's a vibrant and well acted dark story encompassing,
louche posturing, sexual misbehaviour, death, tragedy, manipulation, 
exploitation, perversion, killing, remorse and tortured guilt; and 
all presented via the interesting concept of the 'Red Room' as a 
boudoir. The cast are vigorous, pretty and energetic and the room is
in a state of constant movement. They certainly succeeded in making 
it a special place in which the duration of time was elongated and in
a good way. The nature of the show demands concentration by the 
audience to fathom the 'not so nice,' dark storyline, stay alert as
to where they are standing and to be spatially aware of the rather 
active cast who are either posturing in full flow or scampering about
us all in park animal mode! Overall a well attended, interesting and
thought provoking theatrical experience and production.
3 gold bats

by John C Vassallo