As hilarious as it is poignant,
This is an extremely successful venture.
The story follows the lives of a family who were torn apart 15 years ago. Weeks before Annie’s 18th birthday, her mother moves her from Australia back to Birmingham, and she sees her father for the first time since she was three. This prospective art student has to deal with her mother, with whom she is on edge, struggling as an artist, and loving someone in a coma. These heavy themes are interjected with moments of delightful humour, which adds depth and emotion to the piece.
Newbold is a talented storyteller, weaving together a number of themes, and creating characters who, despite being different ages and genders, are all believable. She utilises art and colours, specifically red and blue, to paint her own story, but with words instead of water colours. Her use of sound technology brought these different aspects of performance together, though at times one must strain slightly to hear what she is saying. By the end of this piece, however, it pulls you so far into the action you feel as though you are an active part of the story, and had known the characters for years.
Overall, this is an extremely successful venture. Newfold is in full control of the story which she is telling, and in turn has full control of the audience, keeping our attention in the twists and turns of her touching tale. Though this is called Lost in Blue, there is no point in which we feel lost, caught up in the action whilst still in Newbold’s capable hands.
