Tommy can’t sleep. He hasn’t been able to since his mum died a year ago. Since then, life has gone from bad to worse. His dad is grief-stricken, his big sister ignores him and he’s become the target for the school bully. Then one restless night, Tommy goes to the window, throws back the curtain and… Read more …
…a dragon is looking at him. Straight in the eye.
An extraordinary visual story told without words, featuring puppetry, illusion and original music.
A show for adults, teenagers and children with vivid imaginations.
This a magical production which appeals and works on so many emotional and intellectual levels. Dragon is like something from the edge of Roald Dahl's subconscious, a fanciful and bewitching show which strikes at the soul and at the mind.
Vox Motus’ previous outings have always been spectacular: Oliver Emanuel’s script offers an emotional depth and deft characterisation.
Endlessly creatively, superbly balancing pathos with humour, the adventure transforms Tommy from boy to young man and being a play without words ensures that everyone gains some insight alongside him. It’s a seamless performance from the ensemble and a play for older children and adults alike.
Very rarely is an image created without it being absolutely clear how it is being made and who is making it. One can’t help but feel that this dragon needs a little more wizardry.
The beguiling production, directed by Candice Edmunds together with Harrison, is not just a masterpiece of stage management, but a subtle examination of the way we can all rationalise our most primal emotions by slaying our dragons one by one.
In the end it’s difficult to resist the elegance of the show’s 80-minute narrative curve, the emotional subtlety of the story it tells, and the sheer visual beauty and imagination of the telling.
Visually alluring and cleverly designed, Dragon is complemented by the physicality and choreography of its cast, creating a beast which breathes life into a captivating & magical modern fairytale which — without words — speaks to us all.
Somehow, we easily forget how terrifying being a teenager was at times; ‘Dragon’ is a wise reminder of those experiences.
Despite is visual flair, Dragon is far more than just a feast for the eyes: it’s a thoughtful, solidly constructed piece, with a strong if difficult message of the importance of family love and support over fantasy.
Overall, a magical experience.
It is not cathartic, but will inevitably arouse a sense of shared experience: after all, we all harbour our own dragons.
A joyous thing.
The silent Dragon
Vox Motus joins forces with NTS and Tianjin People's Art Theatre with Dragon
Interview: Candice Edmunds
Preview--Dragon, National Theatre of Scotland, Traverse Theatre
Theatre Preview: Dragon
Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow from Thursday October 1, 2015, until Saturday October 10, 2015. More info: www.citz.co.uk
Dundee Rep Theatre, Dundee from Wednesday October 14, 2015, until Saturday October 17, 2015. More info: www.dundeereptheatre.co.uk
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