As I logged on (no pun intended) to listen to Tree Confessions, part of the 11th Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, I realised if I was a tree, I would be a solid oak and not a willowy sapling.
You see, at the opening of the audio production, we were advised to sit down under a tree, press play and listen. However, the weather outside was atrocious so, much as I love trees, I wasn’t prepared to get my hair wet for them, so made an executive decision to sit under our giant indoor plant, a Rose-painted Calathea. Big mistake. Getting back up proved nigh impossible.
What on earth was I doing? There was no bark on the plant for me to press my ear against, so I plopped back onto the sofa and pressed play.
With no other distractions, such as audience members passing by, musicians tuning up – all the usual theatre noises – I found the sound of Kathleen Chalfant’s voice quite calming.
The award-winning actress’s tree voice was mature, mellow and pleasant to listen to. A good start.
Chalfant’s tree is talking for all trees, when she tells of how PhD student, “Cindi”, entered their forest, strapping motion sensors, ultrasonic devices et al, on to their trunks. Of course, all the trees thought they were about to be chopped down, as is the fate of millions of trees around the world.
We learn that trees argue, have secrets and opinions and communicate with each other, but are private. So, when fitted with these contraptions, the whole forest decided to rebel against Cindi, and they communicated in their own secret way – deep in their hollows, meaning they never set off any of the devices attached to them.
Suddenly, all the forest fell silent and as our tree amusingly tells us – “even the squirrels tiptoed around”. But the trees soon realised the pesky Cindi wasn’t giving up, so decided to give her the information she needed to get her PhD.
They never talked about their families or anything private, just about what nutrients they needed. And Cindi lapped it up.
By this time in proceedings, I really believed I was listening to a tree talking. Talk of Cindi’s ambitions soon gave way to more serious matters – Dutch elm disease, olive blight, chestnut diseases and so on.
If that wasn’t enough, we were told of a tree that withstood absolutely everything thrown at it for centuries, until one day an angry young boy started a fire, and it was that that did for the ancient tree. Humans eh!
Anyway, Cindi got her exam pass, was on the news and even got a book deal.
Meanwhile, our tree reminds us that, whenever we can, to press our ears against their bark to listen to the popping sound of water as it travels up the tree trunks, the sap flowing, the cellulose vibrating and the leaves fluttering.
This audio gives us an entertaining insight into a serious landmark study; one that shows we are all part of one eco-system and need to take care of every living thing on this Earth.
It would be idiotic of us all to ignore that fact.
Presented by This Is Not a Theatre Company (a charitable organisation) and Greater Manchester Fringe. Tree Confessions is being streamed until Friday, July 15th. Tickets available from www.manchester.ssboxoffice.com/events/tree-confessions
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 1st July 2022
North West End UK Rating: ★★★