Review by the Danish page Teateravisen.dk

23-04-2022

Strong visual theatre

With humor and poetry, a pile of blocks is transformed into a colorfully recognizable mini universe. In the wordless performance CAT · BIRD · FISH, two elegantly dressed black figures build a mini-universe step by step from large and small blocks, graceful shadow images and giant red yarn balls. 

A stylized pantomimic way of playing initially gives the impression of something refined, very minimalistic and a bit distant, but that changes. Along the way, the show expands into a welcoming, poetic, and varied visual theatre full of quirks and humor. The actors have suddenly disappeared, leaving the audience with some beautiful glowing white hearts, a small red spot and strings that are manipulated without you being able to see by whom. The next step is a yarn ball with a long end that can roll and shrink like a pendulum, and then the blocks come into play. 

Their abstract patterns and arrangements are apparently random, but you discover that this is not the case. Just as in the game with the blocks, there is also purpose and meaning in the accompanying music and the sound of percussion in the company of strings. 'Cat Bird Fish' is inspired by the German-Swiss painter Paul Klee, who was a prominent figure within the modernist art movements that characterized the first half of the 20th century. This is clearly seen in the blocks' expressionistic strong colors and typical geometric shapes, which turn out to be able to form surprising images and shapes, as the skilled performers turn up the pace and ingenuity and comedic banter, knocking over each other's blocks.  

Intense and present 

Eventually, they begin to stack the blocks together as concrete, recognizable sculptures but continue to try to outdo each other in self-confident cunning. It results in a house, a bird, a fish and a cat with tiny movements, and a circus with magnetic balls.There is also a church and a portal, until there is a whole town that the children can become part of by placing a brick where they want. Then the construction project is finished, and what remains is a beautiful and colorful sculpture ready to possibly be knocked over again. 

'Cat Bird Fish' takes place in a rather small tent, where the shadow images on the tent walls and the actors' pantomime games with blocks and props come very close to the audience. It helps to make the atmosphere intense and present and occasionally colored by magical enchantment. This is not least because Hisako Miura and especially Annemarie Waagepetersenmaintain eye contact all the way and communicate clearly and directly, so that no one is left behind. Not even when they carefully circle around and signal that now everyone must be not quiet, but extra quiet, even if no one is making noise. It may not work if everyone in the tent is a child. But it is well done considering the level of abstraction of the show and the absence of an actual story, and as an audience you are sent away with your head full of glorious images.   

Review by the Polish theatre newspaper Teatr Lalek

"Everything within the latter is simple, just like a childrens game. Multi-colored and variously shaped blocks become arranged right in front of our eyes into geometric images inspired by the painterly poetics of Paul Klee. They awaken curiosity: what else will emerge a moment later?"

CAT · BIRD · FISH wil be playing on KLAP-festival: 

Saturday the 20th of April at 12.00 and 17.00

>> Book your tickets here!

Direction: Sandra Pasini
Actresses: Annemarie Waagepetersen and Hisako Miura
Scenography: Antonella Diana
Costumes: Antonella Diana, Marco Antonio Lopez 
Music: Håkon Berre 
Technician: Maximiliano Bini 
Objects: Deborah Hunt 
Workshop: Frederik Gravgaard, Antonella, Diana, Sara Ballestri
Sewing room: Antonella Diana, Marco Antonio Lopez, Sara Ballestri, Lisbeth Forbæk, Ruth S. Nielsen, Lene Pedersen, Karen Marie Simonsen

 Duration: 35 minutes

 Photographer: Jørn Deleuran