I Guess if the Stage Exploded[author-post-rating] (3/5 Stars)

Marked with an owl stamp, as if we’re admitted to a wildlife themed nightclub, I and a select group of audience members find ourselves being escorted to the surprisingly grimy backside of Summerhall.

We’re confined briefly to a clutter-filled nook. We begin making the obligatory awkward British grimaces at each other to stave off the fear that we have inadvertently entered some sort of artistically stimulated hostage situation. Or, even more distressingly, are about to be subjected to some sort of audience participation. On reflection, if the former is the case, our charming host Sylvia Rimat would be the ideal subject for Stockholm syndrome, politely leading us away one-by-one to an unknown theatrical fate.

It seems almost certain that these audience members will remember Rimat’s memory technique inspired show, if only when reminiscing about our short-lived kidnapping ordeal or trying to scrub the inky bird of prey off their hands. The piece amalgamates psychological practices and performance. Throughout, Rimat continually dips her feet in two buckets of chalk, leaving powdery footprints around the stage. You can literally trace the path of the performance as it flits, light-footedly, from exercise to exercise.

She avoids a more potentially complex exploration of the subject in favour of a relaxed, simplistic form. There’s stealthy psychology at work here. Hidden amidst the games and stories the piece is furtively informative and never in danger of becoming didactic. The piece’s profoundly comfortable atmosphere is a welcome balm between other more high-octane shows, even culminating in an optional memory aiding nap. Not the explosive climax of other clamourous casts, but a gentle embrace from a sincerely hospitable performer.

Visit Sylvia Rimat for a quirky yet tender synapse massage that is sure to stick in your mind if not actually blow it.

I Guess if the Stage Exploded... is playing at Summerhall as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until 24 of August. For more information and tickets, please see to the Edinburgh Fringe Website.