The Outsider

Aug 11 2015 | By More

✭✭✭✩✩   Eccentric

Young critics scheme review
New Town Theatre (Venue 7): Thurs 6 – Sat 30 Aug 2015

A humorous combination of clowning and multimedia magic makes The Outsider appeal to children and adults alike and produces a show unlike any other. This one man show is certainly a spectacle.

An alien has just landed on earth, with no concept of how humans operate. The show follows the alien as it discovers various aspects of human life, such as love, violence and work. As the show progresses the alien clones itself and we discover more about its nature.

Janne Raudaskoski and Janne Raudaskoski. Photo: Heikki Toivanen

Janne Raudaskoski and Janne Raudaskoski. Photo: Heikki Toivanen

On paper, the plot seems largely silly, but when you are witnessing a green man in neon leggings blowing bubbles at you from Planet Bubbles, it’s relatively easy to just go with the flow. The plot could, however, be a metaphor for feelings of alienation or distance that Finnish performer Janne Raudaskoski may be feeling.

Raudaskoski does a sterling job at managing 40 characters, and portraying a high level of both comedy and emotion, all through mime. However, he is merely the prop to the magical theatrics that accompany him on the two screens at either side of the stage, which he uses to make it appear as though there are many actors. The illusion works well, although can sometimes be repetitive and after the first half of the show the novelty begins to wear off.

impressive technological trickery.

One down side that comes from the performance is the pace. Although plays from continental Europe generally tend to be slower, The Outsider does seem to drag a bit. At times, it feels as though the plot has to take a back-step to show off the impressive technological trickery. It would have been nice to see the two married together slightly more seamlessly.

Nevertheless, the play is filled with jokes and is very impressive in terms of the technology on display and the performer working with it in perfect harmony. The Outsider is truly funny, but it is no joke.

Running time 1 hour 10 minutes
New Town Theatre (Venue 7) Freemasons’ Hall, 96 George Street, EH2 3DH
Thursday 6 – Saturday 30 August 2015 (not Tuesday 18)
Daily, not Tuesday 18, 5.30pm.
Book tickets on the EdFringe website: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/outsider
The Outsider website: http://www.theoutsider.fi/en/

ENDS

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