Burning Rose

Thirteen appears to be a fortunate number for The Actors’ Hub’s Gap II students. The thirteen students in the program form a tight ensemble and work organically as a team to present this engaging devised work. 

Burning Rose, developed under the leadership of director Ellis Pearson, is an anthology of two stories, From the Ashes and beauty. Half the cohort presents each story, while the remaining students provide well-developed musical accompaniment on drums and other percussion, guitar and vuvuzela.

Both parts are very physical, with strong use of movement, the group creating shapes and objects and swift transformations between characters. The development process, which included ‘play’ and games is evident in the apparent spontaneity of the finished product, despite it being a highly polished piece.

From the Ashes follows a child born in a disaster (including a very harrowing birth sequence) till she embarks reluctantly into the wider world. Beauty examines the societal expectations to be beautiful and the never ending quest for physical perfection.

Lighting, designed by Dean Moran and operated by Adam William, is really the only ‘set’ and is an aid to the many moods of this production.

The ensemble, Chloe Gaskell, Gillian Mosenthall, Josh Hogben, Patrick Truman-Healy, Richard Maganga, Steph Bedford, Tia Rose, David Doig, Jared Stephenson, Kyle Kash, Rachel Lewis, Samuel Barbas and Talia Hart have the wonderful synchronosity that develops from over a year of working together, and have obvious trust and a sense of unity.

Burning Rose was a strong, simple and clean piece of theatre - largely wordless, but with a joy of storytelling and of performing.

Kimberley Shaw