Paul T Davies reviews Famile Floez’s production Infinita now playing at the Pleasance Theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Infinita
Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe
18 August 2018
4 Stars
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This is the third production by German mask theatre company Famile Floez at the Edinburgh fringe, and they have become firm fringe favourites for their playful, yet epic, storytelling in which not a word is spoken, but everything is communicated. Infinita is a visual comedy about the beginning and end of life, highlighting the similarities between the nursery and the residential home.
The physicality is superb, and I swear the masks have expressions! The childhood scenes, in which a baby learns to stand and then walk, in which children climb on over large furniture, play with a huge football, are an absolute delight, a joy to watch. That similar dynamics are shown in the nursing home are funny and perceptive, the bullying, the demanding nature of residents, the toilet needs, all create a sense of fun. But here the play deals with loss and the approach of death, and it’s beautifully poignant.
Projections fill in the story of the lifetime love between a pianist and a cellist, and this aspect is a little under developed. As the piece progresses, it feels more like a collection of scenes, very enjoyable, but lacking a strong narrative. However, this is mask work of the highest order, and a totally charming curtain call seals this as a family show not to be missed.
