Little Matter

The River People have grown from strength to strength since their stunning Fringe breakthrough in 2007 with The Ordinaries in... an Awkward Silence. Blending soft folk music with puppetry and storytelling, the Hampshire-based group have now created a fully immersive set off Chambers Street.

Bedlam Chambers consists of a homemade tent patched with vintage cloth, home to rows of benches strewn with pillows and a rickety stage replete with wooden boxes and scattered ivy. The wind that batters this otherworldly hideout only adds to the folkloric experience, illuminated by soft lighting and the flickering of candles. Centering around the lonely everyman drowning in a non-magical concrete jungle of high rises and tube stations, the plot follows his journey to an alternate world in search of his lost potential.

Along the way, The River People showcase a staggeringly creative use of props and a whole host of puppets as beautiful and lifelike as themselves. The scene-changes are all part of the show, with puppets and cast members blending together until it becomes difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. The effect is haunting and yet there was something more effective in their prior simplicity. The makeshift theatre is ideal but the constant changes—regardless of how well they are executed—tend to detract from the plot which is, in itself, a little confused. In saying this, the overall impression is still that of a dark, beautiful and highly recommended storytelling experience for children and grown ups alike.