Upstairs at The Three And Ten is a beautiful performance space, but its intimacy invites close scrutiny - not a good thing if a production is more than a little rough around the edges.
In myths, legends and folklore, new Brighton ensemble Theatre O have chosen a rich vein to mine, but they simply do not have the dramatic collateral to do it justice.
Storytelling should be a simple act, the art being in the ability to captivate an audience and sustain their conviction in what is being created.
Though they gamely throw everything from dance to poetry at the cause, Theatre O succeeds on neither of these points.
Accents veer wildly from unconvincingly generic to suddenly AWOL, speeches are overwrought to the point of theatrical pastiche, and scenes end in wobbly tableux.
At best it is funny, at worst it is someone in a skeleton outfit doing a David Brent dance during a love story.
Actors Ocean Isoaro and Jez Hughes show some comic aptitude. Indeed, it is the one straightforwardly farcical fable that comes off best.
The more profound material demands subtlety and thought, rather than a series of sketchy ideas.
In trying to show off how much they can do, Theatre O highlight how much they can't.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article