Out of This World is a show that is hard to quantify. It contains physical theatre, spoken word, acrobatics and rope work, amongst other things. There are also some stunning back projections and intense sound and lighting effects. Maybe that’s where the piece falls down. It has too many elements thrown in that ultimately weaken the power of the drama and don’t add up to a cohesive whole.
The storyline is about a woman who’s been involved in a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. The walls of hospital wards shudder and fade away and smashed windscreens zoom into focus. People float and elevate, nurses and paramedics appear and disappear. The backing track is frenetic at times, melodic at others with disembodied voices telling the story as well as the main character taking centre stage and performing monologues to the audience.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide the thrill or dramatic tension that could have carried the piece. It feels like lots of bits have been showcased on the stage and there’s too much but also not enough. The physical elements feel under realised, the speeches feel emotionally disconnected and the show feels messy and at times tedious because of this.
The cast are strong, the effects are beautiful to watch but without a better framework to hang upon this feels limp and lifeless.