After a week at the Fringe, I have become used to seeing an empty stage and a chair as I enter a theatre. So how thrilling it is to instead view a vast technical set-up walking into Summerhall’s Old Lab: a cyclorama, many cameras, a live music set-up, and various model sets. In Buzzcut Productions’ The Wreck, all of these tools are used to thrilling effect. The show, telling the story of a sibling duo who make an unnerving discovery on a scuba-diving trip, is a sumptuous feast of live cinema, absorbing soundscapes, and lovingly created models. Yet, whilst visually stunning, too much of the siblings’ backstories are left underwater, and thus an emotional core feels underdeveloped.
The show’s inventive set-up presents a semi-transparent cyclorama at its forefront. The audience watch the camera feed here, whilst also seeing the filming behind. This creates instant theatre magic during the underwater trips. Tiffer Lundy’s incredibly detailed sets of ships and rolling waves, combined with the fragile puppets of Helen Ferguson, completely transport us underwater. Likewise, hidden hero composer Faye James, who performs her immersive compositions live, fills the room with synths and bass, whilst maintaining an almost constant piano throughline that brings much humanity to the room. Together, these create a highly visceral experience, the perfect amalgamation of Wes Anderson and Katie Mitchell.
Yet the show’s naturalistic dialogue is more problematic. A sentient crab may provide much-needed advice to Eddie, and transform the siblings’ relationship, yet their issues are hardly explored in the first place. There is brief mention of an unfriendly fiancé, and a pub owned by Ira with embarrassingly few customers, but these are hardly presented as all-consuming issues. The initial trip to the wreck feels less a cathartic journey than a fun trip down the ocean. Morgan Beale and Camilla Anvar are competent actors, yet lack human connection, largely due to the filming preventing any proximity between the two.
This show’s aesthetic is perfection itself, with tech and craft that lead to multiple jaw-dropping moments throughout. Yet, with a flawed script and frustrating sibling chemistry, it limits the show’s potential. Most certainly not a wreck, but not quite the HMS Victory either.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
