Perth Theatre Company's It's Dark Outside, presented by House and Weeping Spoon, is by far the most original, profound and moving piece of theatre I've seen in years.
Blake Simons, one of our Young Reviewers, gives us his thoughts on Perth Theatre's production of It's Dark Outside
I don't make that statement lightly. Combining a breathtaking soundtrack from Rachael Dease (so good in fact that I have made frequent visits since to her soundcloud page), animation, puppetry, physical theatre and creative use of light and shadow, Perth Theatre Company have created something really rather remarkable.
It's Dark Outside follows an elderly man on an adventure through the Old West and beyond, tackling themes of dementia and redemption.
The pacing of the piece is excellent - from fast-paced slapstick with some of the best puppetry I've seen on stage, to slow and ponderous movement sequences. It's spacious when it wants to be spacious, and a ping-pong match of clever humour when that suits it better. The company are remarkably in control of the storytelling's overall shape, but it never feels too choreographed, drawing you truly under its spell.
Its fusion of highly original and pure storytelling and homage to other sources makes for a refreshing experience. Light and shadow trickery is used behind the screen to cleverly evoke iconic shots from classic Hollywood Westerns, a playful nod to a genre that influences the piece greatly. A sentient and highly energetic tent, controlled by one of the actors from underneath, is endearingly reminiscent of 'The Luggage' from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels and serves as an effective emotional counterpoint to the dark thematic undercurrent of the piece.
The whole venture is so charming that you can't help but grin like a buffoon throughout. It's the greatest piece of mixed-media theatre I've seen since 1927's marvellous The Animals and Children Took to the Streets, a similarly partially-animated theatrical fable tackling difficult themes in a unique and stylised way.
Uplifting and heartbreaking, theatrical and cinematic, in equal measure, It's Dark Outside is an experience not to be missed, and I will be eagerly looking out for Perth Theatre Company's other production, The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik (touring with It's Dark Outside in the UK over the coming months).
Words by Blake Simons