Working Title: The Orpheus Project:
Edinburgh C Too Run August 2014:
“Both actors are outstanding. This is a kill shot. A gripping, bold and exciting new work.”
“The set, comprising table, chairs and two clothing racks on wheels, is used in unexpected and inventive ways as the actors move in and out of storytelling and into the characters who live in this world. Young transforms his posture, his presence and his voice as he becomes Johnny O: rock star, rebel, self-proclaimed messiah and not quite human. Dunn is variously femme fatale, enforcer and victim.”
Broadway Baby: Five Stars
http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/working-title-the-orpheus-project/700829
“Young is compelling as both characters and there is a clear divide between the two personalities meaning even without the quick costume changes it would be possible to identify which one he is playing.
Genevieve Dunne plays the other half of the explosive couple who has an elicit affair with Kasper J. Dunne has a natural seductive quality, which works well for her part as temptress, however she also portrays a certain vulnerability making her likeable and genuine.
Sound and light are used well to distinguish different parts of the narrative with music ranging from synth to Glenn Miller to really set the scenes. The props used are mainly empty clothes rails which are moved around to create different scenes or placed in a certain way to represent objects, this is done in such a way as to still create appealing visuals for the audience.”
“Between two chairs on the dark stage at C Too in Edinburgh a laptop sits on a table. The screen faces the audience and when video clips from the police state are projected we see them twice, on the screen and on the back wall, as though there is no escape from the propaganda. Clothes racks stand towards the edges. These will be inventively used as beds, tube trains, even a place to hang a shirt.
Johnny’s underground, half-naked existence is contrasted with that of the staid, suited and booted Kasper J. Where Kasper walks and travels by tube, Young’s Johnny rages, flexes and at times appears almost to hover. In their physical scenes together he and Dunne could be dancing, struggling to survive or trying to kill each other. It’s hard to tell and Johnny and Eliyah don’t know themselves. The freedom Johnny grasps isn’t a clear positive. He might refuse to work for The Corporation, but he’s keen to spend the time this gains him getting (electronically) high.
The production displays a sincere fear of what could be and warns of a future that ignores individuals and cedes too much power to big business. The script combines elements already seen in dystopian literature, but helped by Bernie C. Byrnes’ jagged lighting and the video projections the show creates a tense atmosphere of fear and paranoia.”
The Flaneur
http://flaneur.me.uk/08/working-title-the-orpheus-project-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/
Dalston Boys Club Run:
“Dynamic, satiric and comedic. It is this sort of storytelling that should be encouraged in the arts…” Remotegoat
“a frightening, fragmentary experience for its residents and an exceptionally engaging piece of theatre for its audience.” Publicreviews
“The time between arrival and the show starting is blurred and the audience remain close to the performers throughout. It serves as an unfamiliar antechamber to the world writers Jonathan and David Herman have created. The tales spiral out in various directions conjuring a dystopian future with a simple setup and a few pieces of kit…
The tale of Orpheus and Eurydice is retold in cyberpunk melodrama and there are nods to many dystopian creations; ‘1984’, ‘Brave New World’, ‘Sleeper’ and ‘Brazil’ to name a few as well as cyberpunk influences. Mixing Kafka’s Trial with a dash of Noir narration and characterisation delighted the audience and engaged them…
Performances from Noah Young and Gabby Wong are very strong; often alone speaking directly to the audience…
The use of video is also integral and well done. With only two performers, the use of news bulletins and video calls projected on the screen at the end of the hall really adds to the story and experience.”
Remotegoat http://www.remotegoat.com/uk/review_view.php?uid=10639
“Actors Gabby Wong and Noah Young share all of the roles in the piece. By using carefully constructed films alongside live performance, both are able to illustrate a large array of character skills. What is particularly spectacular is their use of physical theatre. Johnny O’s addiction to a number of drugs and vices, including a ‘mercer machine,’ is portrayed with a haunting physicality, as Young writhes in equal amounts of pleasure and agony across the length of floor. His pain at the loss of his popstar girlfriend, Alaiah poisons his body, and is distressing to watch. As his Juliet, Wong is far more fluid around the space; his aggressive stances and her malleable movements create an abusive relationship, that both individuals seem to oddly long for. For the audience, it is impossible to look away…
On their leaflet and wordpress, Nomanstime Automatics claim that this is the ‘beginning of a journey,’ with ‘endless possibilities,’ and by continuing with this project, Working Title: The Orpheus Project will be a truly powerful piece of theatre”
Publicreviews
http://www.thepublicreviews.com/working-title-the-orpheus-project-dalston-old-boys-club-london/
NMT Automatics 