Noted by The Back Pack is a uniquely creative piece of physical theatre that explores not only the power of the pen but also all the wonderful places a little bit of creativity can take you. Through clever choreography and technical talent, the team is able to transport the audience to an array of outlandish locations, including the schoolyard, under the sea, and even into space!
What is particularly clever about this production is the fact that it is told entirely through the medium of mime, meaning that at no point do the performers speak. The entirety of the props and staging consists of a collection of hand-drawn pictures stuck around the stage and even drawn across the performers themselves. I have to admit that, as an art form, mime is not a genre I have a lot of experience with. I have always had the completely incorrect assumption that it would be similar to the archaic depictions of street performers I have seen on TV and in movies. However, if this production is anything to go by, I definitely need to get more mime-based shows into my life! While the show quickly jumps from the schoolyard to the dinner table and then into space, with no audible descriptions explaining what is happening, it is entirely down to the performers to be intensely present and responsive to whatever is happening around them so that the audience can easily follow along. Despite the lack of verbal dialogue, the team clearly made a conscious effort to amplify not only their facial expressions but also their physicality as a form of communication between the actors and the audience. This was not only absolutely necessary but also performed flawlessly by the four-person cast. One of my favourite sequences saw the cast travel to the dinner table as they shared a meal together, with the entirety of the meal being made from hand-drawn pictures. Not only was this an obvious way to establish where the action was taking place, but the team had also cleverly designed the sheets of paper so they could be flipped over as the meal progressed, showing food being eaten and wine being drunk. The choreography of this scene was not only a spectacle to watch but also gave the performers smooth transitions to reveal these paper-based changes, ensuring that the audience’s focus was never taken away from the action.
Around the midpoint of the show, the format shifted from being performed directly to the audience to having the performers interact with a camera that streamed onto a screen at the back of the stage. This allowed the team to lean even further into their creativity and depict a range of outlandish scenes. At one point, the team began setting up a table featuring a hand-drawn depiction of the classic game Pac-Man. One cast member was lifted and carried around the maze as the other performers took on the roles of the ghosts. In classic Pac-Man style, when a certain fruit was eaten, the entire scene flipped, with Pac-Man suddenly chasing the ghosts around the maze in an attempt to eat them. This sequence not only tapped into a wonderful sense of nostalgia but was also a unique use of the drawings and performers themselves, and honestly gave me the idea of playing this game in real life! The live-streamed sections also contained a wonderful sequence where the cast became a group of synchronised swimmers as they dove in and out of the “pool”. Despite having seen this sort of performance multiple times at holiday camps and youth clubs, I have to say that this version in Noted was one of the most creative and interesting ways I have seen this gag performed. To capture the sense of floating and movement, the team jumped onto rolling carts and wheeled themselves around the stage, perfectly capturing the fluidity of real swimmers. It was fantastic to watch and demonstrated that the team had clearly considered the most effective way to bring this concept to life. The entire show is underscored by a collection of songs and musical motifs, which once again help to transport the audience wherever this fast-paced, movement-based comedy is headed next. At one point, the production leaned into its love of musical theatre by depicting a dance sequence reminiscent of the audition scene from A Chorus Line. As a massive musical theatre fan, I thought this was a fantastic little nod to the wider theatre industry. On another personal note, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the show was scattered with a plethora of music from the iconic Mika, who we were lucky enough to see last year at Brighton Pride. Hearing the wonderful motifs of the Lebanese singer-songwriter blasting through the halls of Assembly Roxy injected an intense sense of joy into the performance.
Overall, Noted by The Back Pack is an incredibly unique and creative production that highlights not only the power of the pen but also the importance of preserving our sense of imagination, regardless of our age or where we are in life. The show’s unique approach to storytelling leaves the audience thoroughly entertained while also demonstrating the incredible talent of both the onstage and offstage teams. I would rate this production 4 out of 5 stars!
Rhysreviews 