Theatre Ad Infinitum

Forget about black Lycra bodysuits and screaming actors rolling on the stage. If the bad reputation of so-called “alternative” theatre partly derives from its incomprehensibility, Theatre ad Infinitum creates shows that are not only crystal-clear but that seem to challenge the very idea of what an understandable show should be like.

Odyssey, first brought to the Fringe Festival in 2009, accomplishes the seemingly impossible task to condense Homer's epic poem into a one-hour solo show. George Mann, the only performer, played dozens of roles without the aid of costumes or props, but relied solely on changes of voice and big, sweeping movements that mesmerised the audience. The following year saw the return of Theatre ad Infinitum to Fringe with a new solo show, The Big Smoke. Here a woman sings a cappella about her life, depression and suicide, inspired to the works and lives of Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf. If Odyssey is a breathtaking proof of versatility by the performer, The Big Smoke's dark, introspective narration and chilling chant did not fail, even for a second, to send shivers down my spine.

This year's Fringe hosts the acclaimed company with yet another show, Translunar Paradise. Inspired by W B Yeats’ The Tower, it tells the story of Rose and William, wife and husband parted by death but given one last chance. Rose appears to her husband to help him dealing with the grief of her loss and move on.

The company presented a scratch version of Translunar Paradise at BE Festival in July 2010, where it won the Festival's Development Award. The award gave them residency at Midlands Art Centre for the creation of a full-length version of the show, which opened BE in 2011.

At the beginning of June, Theatre Ad Infinitum performed work in progress versions of Translunar Paradise at PULSE in Ipswich and as part of ACT in Bilbao, Spain, where it was awarded Best Theatre Direction. But for this London-based company it is not unusual to win awards: so far in 2011 they’ve won the Argus Angel Award (given “in recognition of truly exceptional performances and events during Brighton Festival and Fringe”), the Audience Award of The Small Scene Theatre Festival in Croatia and a grant from Arts Council England to aid the realisation of Translunar Paradise.

Theatre ad Infinitum leap between genres - Odyssey is proper Le Coq physicality, The Big Smoke is a musical, of sorts. Yet their magic, lyrical and delicate shows are always charming and enchanting.