Forced Entertainment @ Tramway

Among Britain’s pioneers in the art of devised theatre, Forced Entertainment – directed by Tim Etchells – bring two shows to Tramway this October. Based in Sheffield, the six performers that make up Forced Entertainment have been collaborating since 1984, doing what they call “seriously playful work.” 

All six partake in the production The Coming Storm, which seems to be a collage of various stories and themes, all cut, pasted, and spliced into one exhilarating performance. It contemplates narration of fragments, of pieces of tales that are completely disconnected, a performance that is virtually alive through its own shift in focus, story, theme, and medium. And for the first time, Forced Entertainment come with live music, performed on stage.

Meanwhile, the second show goes for a more intimate atmosphere. Tomorrow’s Parties considers the idea of multiple universes, and humans’ infatuation with the future and hope. Many of us consider the future – sometimes with fear and foreboding, other times with hope and excitement. With so many possibilities, what will tomorrow bring?

These are two exciting shows – each for one night only – by one of the most experimental theatre companies in the UK that must not be missed. [Eric Karoulla]