ED2013 4/5 Reviews ED2013 Theatre Reviews

The Pearl (Dumbshow)

By | Published on Thursday 8 August 2013

A real treasure. Dreamy verse, dance-like movement, an original score of soft piano and puppetry make an imaginatively beautiful adaptation of Steinbeck’s novella. With some stylistic surprises, it still stays true to the story’s splintering themes of greed, hope and the prison of poverty. A literature-lover might criticise the vague setting and altered character names, since Steinbeck’s inspiration was a Mexican folk tale. Still, the strange mix of Irish, Queen’s English and Yorkshire accents are justifiably well-executed and less risky. The actors’ youth is no hindrance; Hester Bond as Joanna especially shines. But all of the performances are as promising as the pearl itself, and the piece’s most stunning quality is the strongly-stitched co-ordination between them. Take a dive.

Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug (not 13), 12.30pm.
tw rating 4/5 | [Amber-Page Moss] 



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