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ED2014 4/5 Reviews ED2014 Theatre Reviews
The Eradication Of Schizophrenia In Western Lapland (Ridiculusmus / Jon Haynes, Patrizia Paolini, Richard Talbot, David Woods)
By Dave Fargnoli | Published on Thursday 7 August 2014
It might be impossible to truthfully convey the experience of psychosis, but that shouldn’t stop people trying. Ridiculusmus make a great effort in this appropriately schizophrenic play which stages two scenes simultaneously on either side of a partition. If it’s bewildering at times, it’s meant to be, but heartfelt performances ensure there’s more to this than just a gimmick. As characters from one story interrupt and interact with the other, the fourth, and in this case, fifth wall is well and truly broken. Most effectively, the dialogue in both parts interlocks beautifully, forcing the audience to follow two stories at once, to make incongruous connections, to laugh at awkward moments. The result is an incisive, uneasy and slightly crazed experience.
Summerhall, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Dave Fargnoli]
