PLINTH (the latest work by acclaimed physical theatre-maker Al Seed) casts the performer as a statue of the heroic Theseus, the man who, in ancient Greek mythology, slew the human-eating Minotaur. However, given that the Minotaur is fated to be a vanquished monster, Seed is sceptical of Theseus’s position as a valorised “hero”.
At the outset of this solo performance, Seed’s Theseus, muddied and bloodied by conflict, is unveiled as a universal hero, standing atop a plinth that is (thanks to the wooden steps up to it) reminiscent of an executioner’s scaffold. He jerks to life, mechanically, as if waking from centuries of slumber.
Below him is a small statuette (of, one assumes, Theseus’s beloved Ariadne). Arranged around the plinth (in designer Kai Fischer’s visually arresting set) are dozens of sandbags, a motif of modern conflicts, not least the First World War (the conflict titled, with unintended irony, “the war to end all wars”).
As Seed’s living statue descends from his plinth, we watch his wordless re-enactment of a life of violence, and of moments of camaraderie, fear and religious (and romantic) devotion. On his right arm, throughout much of the performance, is a long, conical implement: an ingenious prop that can stand in for various weapons of war, most notably an ancient spear and, that symbol of modernity, a rifle.
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In one particularly notable scene, Seed’s hero seems to recall his past social interactions. As the warrior appears to be eating, talking and arguing with comrades, the performer plays out a choreography of sudden, clearly-defined movements, as if he were a figure in a stop motion animation.
This highly-stylised, brilliantly executed movement is typical both of Seed and of the 50-minute performance that is Plinth. The artist has, as we see here, perfected a physical style that is absolutely compelling.
Seed’s remarkable performance is enhanced by superbly combined smoke and lighting effects (courtesy of lighting designer Alberto Santos Bellido). Add to that carefully considered, emotive music and song, and a resounding, absolutely spellbinding soundscape (by sound designer Guy Veale), and there can be no doubt that the piece achieves Seed’s stated objective of creating a work that is visually and aurally spectacular.
If the show has a problem, it lies in the difficulty of attempting to address (in seemingly literal terms) the complex issues around statues, heroism and war by means of both an ancient metaphor and the quite abstract form of wordless performance. At times, the piece seems to be straining to express something that its wordlessness will not allow.
Paradoxically, it might have achieved a stronger emotional resonance if it had placed an even greater emphasis on the abstract image, rather than appearing at times to be grasping for an explicit narrative line. Having said that, although it seems slightly frustrated in expression at times, Seed’s immense presence and charisma as a performer, and the excellent audio-visual elements of the piece, ensure that Plinth is a unique and memorable theatre experience.
Touring until February 10, 2024: alseed.net
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