Plymouth Theatre Review

Easy to Follow: 5

Family Friendly: 5

Must see: 5

Title: ‘Belongings’

Venue: Theatre Royal Plymouth

Date: 31st May 2024

‘Belongings’ by Tangled Feet Theatre is a fun, powerful and evocative theatre piece that explores the lives of three children displaced from their families and placed into care. This innovative and compelling show has been created in conjunction with Rowan Tree and explores the plight of children living within the care system, providing a deeply moving and thought provoking experience. 

From the moment you enter the theatre space, the atmosphere is charged and alive with chatter, interaction and games with the young audience, enthralling them into the piece and providing a fun and interactive introduction to the character of BT (portrayed by John Posnett.)

Posnett expertly engages with the the audience by asking questions, chatting to the children and playing his favourite game: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot! This playful beginning not only captivates the audience but sets the stage for for the thematic exploration of childhood innocence  and the stark realties faced by children displaced from their families. The narrative centres on three children, (BT, Leila and Cleo) who are placed into the care of Jo, their foster carer. Each child brings a unique and emotional depth to the story and represents a different stage in the care system. Cleo first appears on her first day in care, BT is soon to be adopted into a new family and Leila represents the children who eventually age out of the system. Carla Garratt’s portrayal of Cleo perfectly embodies the fear and uncertainty that come with a transition into care and she expertly navigates the growth of this character from a shy, timid and confused child longing to be back with her mother, to an outgoing, confident and thriving child under the care of Jo. Her initial tentativeness is a stark contradiction to the characters of BT and Leila, with BT’s vibrant and excitable presence and Leila’s (played by Jesse Bateman) strong willed and determined demeanour. 

As the story unfolds, we encounter beautifully moving interactions between the children in a skilful navigation through questions about their parents, their uncertainty about their futures and a deep, overcasting longing to be back with their parents. These questions are explored in a inventive and visually stimulating way that both delights and pulls on the heartstrings of the audience in a deeply resonating experience that makes the plays emotional impact all that more profound. 

The writing and direction in ‘Belongings’ expertly balances moments of levity with the deeper, heavier themes of displacement and belonging. The reoccurring childhood games serve as a reminder of the innocence and playfulness that should define ones childhood, contrasted against the angst and turbulent emotions felt by the characters in their current situation. All three of the actors performances are powerful and authentic, capturing the nature of childhood and conveying a genuine sense of vulnerability and resilience.

The sound and lighting design is employed throughout to amplify the emotional impact of the storytelling. The productions lighting and soundscapes are intricately woven into the narrative in a way that enhances not only the storytelling, but the audiences connection to both the characters and narrative. The lighting is symbolic and emotive, shifting throughout the reflect the ever changing mood of the piece with a range of lighting that underscores moments of sadness and introspection, and highliting the moments of connection, joy and camaraderie. 

The sound design pays a crucial role in the productions emotional resonance. The use of constant music throughout underpins the entire play with a wide range of compositions that mirror the unfolding drama. The music shifts from sad, emotive tones to uplifting and energetic pieces on an ever evolving musical journey that helps to articulate the inner worlds of the characters. The use of shadow play was a particular highlight of the production, being employed throughout to stunning effect. The delicate interplay between light and dark created outstanding moments of storytelling in a collaborative show of heartwarming and heartbreaking shadow work creating stunning and compelling images that were profoundly moving in places. The hand shadow work is seamlessly integrated Into the production with remarkable skill and precision, adding a layer of magic and wonder to the storytelling and depth and texture of the characters and narrative. 

The set design was original and creative, allowing the actors a space in which to interact and immerse themselves into the lives of their characters. Consisting of a clothes rail, packed up clothing bundles and piles of children’s clothes on the floor, the set serves as a reminder of the jumbled and often confused state of mind of children in the care system. The clothing rail was used with particular nuance, with the actors interacting with this in a physical and visually stimulating way, turning it into bunk bed, a window and even a blanket fort for play. The use of both adult and children’s clothes hanging on the rail were an integral part of the storytelling, turning jackets into absent parents in a particularly impactful scene, where BT is hugged by a piece of clothing dispensed from a fishing rod. This gut-wrenching and evocative scene really brings home the themes of the play in a sad and hard hitting way, highlighting the ultimate yearning of the characters to feel love and safety at the hands of their absent parents. The use of the parachute throughout was progressive and nuanced, serving as a metaphor for the broken relationship between Cleo and her mother, with constant references to needing to fix it and her reluctance to let anyone else touch the parachute at first. The reluctance to let anyone else interact with the parachute was brought to a head at the end of the play, when instead of shying away from other people, cleo opened up parachute (and her heart) to the other characters and the audience in a show of heartwarming acceptance and community. The use of the parachute in the plays finale was a delightful and interactive element to the play that provided the children (and adults!) in the audience the chance to engage directly with the characters. As the colourful parachute was unfurled, we gathered around with the actors (each holding a piece) and played with the shapes we could make with the parachute by waving our arms in the air.  We were invited to run underneath the dome of the parachute and sit with the characters underneath the dome, bringing this play to a fun-filled and magical conclusion. This not only brought the story to life in an immersive way but fostered a sense of community and joy among those that took part.

‘Tangled Feet Theatre’s ‘Belongings’ is an impressive, commanding and eloquent masterclass in storytelling that succeeds in raising awareness of the plight of children in the care system. Through the use of innovative storytelling, shadow play, physical theatre and audience interaction, it provides a deeply moving and thought provoking experience that tackles societal issues while highlighting the power of theatre to humanise and foster empathy.

It is a heartwarming testament to the strength of the human spirit and the importance of compassion and understanding for children in the system. Belongings is a must see production for anyone that enjoys theatre that challenges, educates and inspires and it will stick in my mind for a long time to come! 

Review by Ami Philpott

*Gifted / This theatre review was written following a gifted ticket to the performance. However, all opinions and views expressed in this review are entirely that of the reviewer and the review has not been influenced in any way by the provision of the ticket. Our commitment remains to provide an honest and unbiased assessment of the experience.