The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave, Main Hall at Summerhall Review
Written by Lauren Budd for Theatre and Tonic
Walking into the Main Hall at Summerhall, the performance has already kicked off. It’s a total sell out, we climb to our seats in the darkened room, lit only by the a few tube lights on the stage. The audience are transfixed with the movement happening on stage, caught in the spell of Suburban Knight’s techno album at full blast.
Sharon Mortimer, Lucy Lynch, and Oli Mathiesen, coming all the way from New Zealand, continually move to the music for a whole hour. Giving all the feels of being knee deep in Warehouse rave, no sense of time or direction, the trio have us in the palm of their hands. The piece moves to different tempos, giving suggestions of different stages of a night out. Little smiles appear across the audience as that all too recognisable huddle on the dance floor appears, chats in the smoking area, to someone overdoing it and getting their second wind, jumping back into the event. The show is supported by some incredible work from the tech box, lighting each part and person exactly, elevating the storytelling to new heights. The incredible synchronised work is flawless and even magnified by a section that uses UV lighting on white gloves, you can see the tiny movements of each dancer, and the impeccable timing.
The show is a spirit and body experience, the respect for the artists ripples across the audience. As we leave the venue, half of my friends express their desire to go out dancing and the others said they feel like they already have and are ready for their kebab!
The Butterfly Who Flew Into the Rave plays at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 25 August
★ ★ ★ ★
