The W.I.G of Life: A Conference, Psychonaut Theatre Review

Reviews

20 Mar

Written by Bronagh for Theatre & Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

The W.I.G of Life: A Conference is an interactive, wacky show presented by Psychonaut Theatre. We, the ‘delegates’, are tasked with the decision of whether to bring back biological life or whether AI is managing okay on its own. The choice is all ours.

Francesca Fatichenti, Christof Hofer and Arielle Zilkha have written, produced and also act in The W.I.G of Life, which is an impressive feat in itself. We are greeted by the cast – in blue wigs and silver body suits – as they invite us to choose an accessory to wear during the show, giving us the choice of a flower garland, sunglasses or a stick on moustache. The cast all have a creepy feel to them, realistic otherworldly characters. The stuck on smiles and robot like movement at times really do make it feel like we are watching avatars and not humans.

The show itself is very innovative and a great deal of fun. There’s a great deal of technology being used, from projections, pre-recorded video clips and, of course, the main event, using our smartphones to interact with the show and to make the final decision. Whereas this wasn’t an issue for me – I’ve been glued to my iPhone since I was 18 – I could see why this could be an issue for others. Helpfully, the Camden Peoples Theatre’s website did make ticket buyers aware that using a smartphone was a big part of the show before booking. The audience seemed more than happy to engage with answering questions which were then projected onto a screen. It was extremely amusing to see responses… I wonder who possibly could have said that ‘Harry Styles’ is their favourite species. The cast responded so quickly to the responses on the screen, coming up with reactions on the spot, only adding to the comedy of the whole thing. Responses to the stranger questions did take a little while to come through, but it never felt like a particularly awkward wait which was aided by the cast making comments while we waited.

The content of the show was really enjoyable, and not what I was expecting to be perfectly honest. The investigations into human history were actually rather fascinating, only made more fascinating by using wigs while looking at the history! The court skit in particular was a favourite, generating a lot of laughs while Francesca and Arielle acted it out with the class judge and priest wigs on. I don’t know how the cast managed to keep a straight face throughout all of the skits, I personally found them hilarious for the most part. The ‘Conference Controller’ appeared on the screen as a talking wig, giving their opinions and responses to the delegate’s choices. I liked this, but it didn’t grasp me as much as the cast did on the stage.

It is so wonderful to see a smaller show using all of the technology available to them and creating a big show in a small space. The cast is beyond talented, and I would love to see some further theatre creations from them. There was a great deal of humour with serious topics dotted about, making for a very enjoyable piece of fringe theatre and a fun night out.