Must I Cry – Paradise in Augustines

In this artful production, writer and director Bonni Chan soars over Hong Kong, exploring themes of loss and change in the country through the stories of renowned Hong Kong author Xi Xi.

Produced by Theatre Du Pif, this show gives a masterful lesson in how to utilise all forms of artistry to create an immersive, cohesive, dreamscape.  With projection, light, sound, and movement, Chen takes us on a moving journey from the fullness of childhood to the emptiness that becomes.

The creative team behind this show are true visionaries – for me this was a completely refreshing piece – every element was carefully considered and furthered the story’s metaphor.  The poetry which inspired this work absolutely comes alive and flourishes on stage – each aspect was crafted to literally be poetry in motion.

Lau Chi-Bun, composer and musician, gave a very impressive performance, playing multiple instruments, sometimes playing multiple at once.  You could truly see the feeling Lau puts into his music, injecting emotion into each noise.  With a percussive-synth soundscape, Lau manages to create a huge scope of sounds from each instrument.  The score intertwined beautifully with the action on stage.

This is a one-of-a-kind show which I feel has been a criminally underrated pick at the Fringe.  Must I Cry shows us that a Fringe show can have perfectly polished and meaningful production aspects despite the confined and stripped back nature of production the Fringe requires.  It is a must see.

Reviewer: Jessie Martin

Reviewed: 20th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: