“If I died tomorrow, would the world have really lost that much?” This is the core question of Living with Skeletons – a new musical from Hungary centred around grief, death, and a fear of both what comes after, and what you leave behind.
Being shown at Venue 24: Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, this show tells the story of Oscar (Daniel Fischer), a young adult terrified of death, while his sister Ella (Bella Castillon) finds herself fighting through strange lands filled with witches and school exams. With a soundtrack of original folk songs, there is not a single member of this nine-person cast whose voice is anything short of incredible.
The opening number of Living with Skeletons, ‘Summerland’, is hauntingly beautiful. Largely sung by the three witches (Emma Lindsey, Virginia Sirolli and Sara Masud), all of whom are dressed in pure white clothes, it is perfect for this shows opener as it creates an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere which prevents the audience from feeling totally comfortable. The effect of which is that their attention never wavers from the scene in front of them.
‘Dionysus’ is sung by Marco Vega, who performs with an infectious energy. His voice combined with the dancing (choreographed by the director, Valeria Almada) made me want to sing and dance along, even without knowing the words. It feels worlds apart from ‘Cat Without a Smile’, performed mainly by Camil Otero, though later in the song she is joined in a duet by Castillon. Their voices together, singing about how no one truly sees who they are, create a gorgeous harmony.
Kohn’s (Péter Turi) voice completely fills the room as he sings a haunting lullaby. In a tone that almost feels religious, it sent chills up my spine and had me hanging off his every word. Zahra’s solo (played by Almada), however, is sung by lamplight in a voice far softer – but equally powerful.
While there are certain aspects of Living with Skeletons which were flawed, these were largely from a technical side. Occasionally, the band was too loud and made it difficult to hear the performers, and parts felt rushed – likely because of the time constraint. However, it is an unforgettable show – I suspect I will be humming the songs for at least a week, and I can’t wait to see where it goes in the future.
