Translunar Paradise

For an entirely wordless performance to capture the hearts and minds of an audience so effortlessly is quite astonishing, and this is down to the chemistry between actors George Mann and Deborah Pugh. Accompanied by an accordion player, who sings lullaby-esque ditties throughout the show, there is something truly special about this devised piece, which flirts with physical theatre, dance and silent comedy. Informed by his own bereavement process, Mann, who also wrote and directed the piece, has clearly drawn deeply upon his own trauma to produce a show which is so utterly heartbreaking. 

The use of masks when embodying William and Rose in their later years is incredibly effective, and Mann and Pugh’s ability to evoke such sincere sadness with only an expressionless mask and one hand free for gesticulation speaks volumes for their talent. Words may have been the weapon of choice for the show’s inspiration—Yeats’ poem 'The Tower'—but Theatre ad Infinitum is sublimely showcasing the power of silence.