Forgotten Dialogue, created and performed by Penultimate, uses physical theatre to explore ideas around the words we use, how we communicate and the freedom and constraints that come with them. The piece was inspired by the anonymity that a person can have within a public toilet cubicle.
The performance space was set in-the-round. At one end there was a rectangular cuboid made out of PVC pipes, with curtains just behind this. There was a lot of thought by the actors in regards to how they used the space. Firstly, they did not shy away from coming up close to the audience. This really made you feel a part of the action. Additionally, the performers used the PVC pipes in every possible way to tell the story. They used them like a telephone to talk and listen through, to build walls around themselves and to break apart. I really liked the thought they put into every action, every move and even every breath and facial expression throughout the entire piece.
Despite this, I did feel a bit lost at times during the piece. I think the concepts and ideas they explore are not always explicitly clear or understood, at least to me anyway. I do, however, think this ended up being a positive thing, as it allowed me to interpret and made sense of the piece for myself. I struggled to connect to their intention of "two entities physically embodying the varying layers of dialogue; the freedom and constraints" but instead felt the piece showed the ways that humans can often build walls to protect themselves, and in doing so, do not always express their true selves to others.
Overall, this piece was intriguing, suspenseful and complex. It left me on the edge of my seat and left me with lots of questions. The cast were careful with every move and breath and told a very interesting story through their technical and innovative physical theatre routine. It is definitely a worthwhile piece of theatre to watch!
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