As a buzzing and excitable audience took their seats, the lights went down and the performers entered. One by one each performer began calling to each other in an individual tone which felt personal to them. Was is an instrument, a language, at times a whale like sound or tribal chant? A new voice arouse from ever corner of the room and I felt myself thinking is that coming from own mind? But no it was a beautiful melody crested by talented vocalist purely to lure us into the space for the next hour and a half… we had arrived into Pascol.
The room was dark, ominous, mystical in some ways but the lighting followed the story exactly how we wanted it to, flashing and spotlighting were it needed it. The company wore neutrals, wonderfully allowing them to incorporate their own character for each story without an ounce of pre-thought; I saw writers, ghosts, 18th century nurses but that was simply my mind playing tricks on me because that dramatically changed as the show progressed.
The performance revolves around the braveness of audience members and pure raw talent of the company. Individuals volunteer to take the microphone during a gap in the show and share a memory with the room. On Sunday night we heard a collection of stories; how a best friend passed due to Cancer, how a woman’s ancestors battled a journey to England, love stories, history, observations, etc. The plethora of tales was endless and had me thinking how many different lives were in the room.
The Sasha Gefen leads a company that uses a collection of tricks and calls to improvise a vocal story. It truly is one the of most fabulous examples of communication and the importance of listening. I felt part of a welcoming and peaceful cult that celebrated that individual in the room, as if we were all supporting together, a personalised therapy session witnessed by a surrounding crowd. The companies vocals and words bounced off the wall echoing each other. At times they crescendoed in unison and at others interrupting as if disagreeing on the chosen path of one performer. There was instinctive movement on stage, a slightly weaker moment that could potentially be cleaned but it did not ever take me fully out of it therefore I see it as a win.
There were a few moments of repetition but truly these were scarce and mostly this was done purposely to reflect a moment in the story. I felt in one particular story referring a woman cycling through London in the middle of the night that Bon Ivor had entered the room – that’s how convincing the voices had become as instruments.
Overall I left feeling lighter, wondering how many stories were in the heads of the people around me and how many different ways there are to communicate. I also came out thinking that these five company members were truly wonderful performers with a gift for singing.
4 Stars
Wandering and Wondering 
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