The Best of BE festival, as the name indicates, consists of a presentation of the shows that were considered by the audience to be the best of the 2015 BE festival edition in Birmingham. This year, three solos of thirty minutes were chosen for this showing at the Barbican: ‘#sobrejulieta’ by Grumelot; ‘The Whistle’ by Squarehead Productions and ‘Quintetto’ by TIDA.

Before the actual show starts, there is a welcoming speech during which the directors of the festival explain in a very funny and light way what happens in Birmingham every summer. BE is an international theatre festival that aims to show in the UK what is being done in other European countries, gathering together artists and giving them the space not only to share their work, but also their traditions, music, food, passions, expectations, fears and much more.

One thing that these three solos have in common is the inclusion of the audience in the plot. Although, as a spectator, you have to be prepared to take an active role in each piece, none of the performers will violate your privacy or put you in an uncomfortable position.

Carlota Gaviño, the performer of ‘#sobrejulieta’, has created with Iñigo Rodriguez-Claro a beautiful point of view of Juliet’s journey when falling in love with Romeo, where Romeo is played by the audience. Therefore Gaviño’s actual proposal is to fall in love with the audience.

The use of technology in this show is remarkable and, even though the devices used are simple, the outcome is amazing. It makes the comprehension of the plot available for everyone, since it guides us through what is going on inside Juliet’s head and translates some lines spoken in Spanish. It is a very contemporary approach to a classic, highlighting interesting themes like the chemical and biological process associated with falling in love.

There are very strong images, created specially by the actress’s power and humanity, and by the lighting design by Grumelot. The comic mood that ‘#sobrejulieta’ sets, especially due to Gaviño’s physical expression, her naïve yet tempting look, and the way she shares with us some funny singing are the perfect opening for the evening.

Darragh McLoughlin (Squarehead Productions) and his whistle create magic inside the Pit Theatre. It’s lovely to realise that with the simplest idea so much can be done. In this one-(brave) man show, every time you hear a whistle you have to close your eyes and then open them again, as the sound is repeated, over and over again. This is the only rule of the game and you have to decide whether to take part in it or not. If you do, you won’t believe what your eyes will see…

McLoughlin manages to make the audience travel in time and be surprised every second, by simply opening and closing their eyes, as the space keeps on changing. With simple props like chairs and juggling balls, this performer presents an impressive work – a dazzling mastery of circus and clown techniques, and a lot of humility for being brave enough to share with us such a risky concept.

The third show of the evening, ‘Quintetto’, is a reflection on the role and condition of artists in contemporary society. How ironic is it that a show named ‘Quintetto’ is performed by only one person? That’s the tricky part – maybe it is not a solo after all… Marco Chenevier gets some audience help on stage and together they devise an improvised, risky, yet very funny piece of art.

This performance is unpredictable. The audience can’t find out what has already been prepared in advance or not, and Chenevier has no way to be sure what to expect from his colleagues. To unveil more details about this show would be ruining the concept of it – just go there and watch it!

Best of BE Festival played at the Barbican until 16 April. For more information, see the Barbican website. Photo: Bentor Albelo