Teatro Delusio

Behind the scenes in an opera house, more than 20 characters filter through the wire-laden, ladder-scattered stage, masked heads looming large. It is hard to believe these are all performed by only three actors, but the trio in Teatro Delusio have mastered the art of quick change. Stage managers, actors and conductors come and go in a jumbled fashion that never forms a story or builds tension. The clarity of each characterisation in this masked mime is exquisite but the plot is entirely incoherent and inconsequential.

This non-verbal play aches for more music as the moments of physicality aren’t close enough to slapstick or dance for them to be entertaining enough alone. The enormous stage is flooded with wasted potential. The vast open wings and multitude of trip hazards are gagging to be played with, fallen over and used for laughs, but are left largely untouched. Company Familie Flöz suggest they will give us a raging comedy, but provide us with little more than a few gentle titters.

A few minutes of beautiful puppetry begin the production, playing with the form and sprouting what could be the start of some truly unique material. This is then thrown aside in favour of masked mime. The company are evidently talented puppeteers and it is such a shame the form is not used enough.

Teatro Delusio is dull, lacking laughs and sorely missing more of the puppetry that briefly flits in and out of the play. Set backstage at a theatre, I’d much rather be on the other side of the curtain.