This new devised work contains a lot of bright ideas, however they get lost in the constraints of the structure. It begins intriguingly as a movement piece, with the performers alone in crowds, some nice physical work supporting this. The build on this is to show them all in their workplaces, facing similar limitations to the engagement of their students (they are all teachers, and we learn at the same school). Still intriguing….but this is where the structure becomes more of a constraint than a benefit. The actos pair off into couples, for each of whom we see snippets of their relationship tied to pop songs; each relationship meditates on the challenge in connecting to and truly knowing another person.
The choice to explore this through increasingly lengthy scenes is okay, but nothing new or groundbreaking — and indeed after a couple cycles feels repetitive, and undermines the argument the company are seeking to make with this devised piece. The relationships are mediated through phones, with individual attention trapped in them, however these movement sections interspersing the text feel more like superfluous and complicated scene changes than intentional moments.
It is all too bad, as the piece is earnest, and indeed showcases the acting of the young performers well — they are all interesting and thoughtful performers. However, as a work on its own, it is lacking.