Outpost

The Old Market, Upper Market Street, Hove, Monday, September 28, and Tuesday, September 29

WITH countries across Europe shutting their doors to refugees and ever more people fleeing their homes due to conflict, Green Ginger’s new black comedy set around a border crossing seems well-timed.

But co-creator Chris Pirie says the idea had been “kicking around” for more than 25 years.

“Every time we crossed a border we felt it was such fertile territory for dramatic pieces,” he says from the biennial World Puppet Theatre Festival in Charleville-Mézières, France, where Green Ginger is one of only a couple UK puppet theatre companies out of the 200 performing over ten days.

“Borders are man-made artefacts. When you divide land people will try to cross. Borders are created not just for economic reasons, but political reasons to contain people and stop them moving freely. With what has been happening in recent months, in Ukraine, Syria, Calais and the borders around Europe has made it feel like a hot topic.”

Outpost is set on a fictional border crossing between two countries, with two very differing takes on how to live. Luis’s world is ordered and disciplined, while BK likes to take things easy. Naturally the two come into conflict – especially when there are few resources to go around in their remote outpost.

Little do the pair know there is another world without any restrictions existing beneath their feet.

“It’s a sublime existence without borders,” says Pirie. “Because it was underground we were able to put in references to fracking.

“It’s not didactic theatre – we like to have a good laugh, but give audiences something to think about on their way home.”

A desire to cross a boundary is a natural human trait – as anyone who has told a toddler not to do something will be well aware.

And Pirie himself has experienced that urge to sneak over a border – albeit only with his foot.

“We were touring in Israel and went up to the Lebanon border,” he says. “There was a massive fence – and I thought it was a good idea to stick my leg through and put my foot in Lebanon.

“I heard an M16 cocked only yards from where I was standing and there was a guard pointing a rifle at me, so I didn’t stay in Lebanon for too long...”

When it came to devising the initial ideas for the performance the Bristol-based company set up their own border in their rehearsal room - using a piece of rope on the floor.

“We took it in turns to guard the rope, then one side, and then someone else would guard the other side,” says Pirie. “We were exploring the essence of borders and delineation between one side and another side of the planet.”

The ideas and devised lines were given to professional scriptwriter, Mike Akers, for the first time in the company’s history, with original music created by The Bower Brothers.

When it came to creating their two countries Green Ginger opted to remain unspecific.

“It was about trying to create a bit of difference between the two characters,” says Pirie. “We were setting up two stock comedy characters.”

Both are lightweight bunraku-style puppets – although with only three puppeteers on the tour they are not performed in the traditional three-man style.

“When I’m not operating the head of one of the puppets I’m working on one of the other characters,” says Pirie. “There’s not a moment where we can stand still to watch what’s going on.”

The decision was made to keep the puppeteers in full view throughout.

“In our early shows we wore black veils and tried to lurk in the shadows,” says Pirie, who joined theatre maker Terry Lee’s company Green Ginger in 1986 having started out in a career in illustration.

“We found audiences were distracted all the time, rather than concentrating on the puppets. The feedback we are getting now is it is less distracting. It also means we can stand comfortably. Audiences get used to it very quickly.”

Starts 8pm, tickets £12/£10. Call 01273 201801.