The Covid Diaries 22: c-o-n-t-a-c-t

A review of the ultimate expression of theatre in 2020, c-o-n-t-a-c-t. In which I enjoyed the concept more than the play itself, but again admired the creativity of people who are making theatre possible in 2020.

c-o-n-t-a-c-t: is it a Play? Is it an App? Well, it’s Both!

c-o-n-t-a-c-t, or c-Ω-n-t-α-c-t (or however you want to write it – here is the website as it’s hard to Google), is a transfer and translation of a new theatre concept from Paris. It’s an app-based theatrical performance which takes place outdoors to small groups, and therefore allows social distancing. Like Blindness it’s kind of a sound installation, but this time with actors. The experience for the viewer is quite simple. The app downloads quickly, and you enter your phone number to join a waiting room. Then a ‘stage manager’ (all the world’s a stage!) starts the audio track once the audience are present and ready. You are given instructions to follow a specific actor wherever she goes, and away you all go!

The play is not site-specific, so it is currently on a six-week run at three different London locations. There’s Central London (around Monument/the North Bank), Greenwich, and Clapham. I was at the former because it’s within walking distance of my flat. This is definitely a nice luxury in these days of virus-laden public transport journeys. It was also nice to have a properly London backdrop to this experience.

In terms of how the play works once you are underway, all of the audio is run through the app. This includes the dialogue – both the thoughts you are ‘overhearing’ and spoken dialogue between the two actors. It thus becomes a master class in lip-synching on the part of the actors; I found myself wondering if they were acting to someone else’s voice (must be…?) and what that must be like.

Concept Better Than Story in First Iteration

I won’t give too much away about the story in case you want to catch it before it finishes. Suffice to say it’s very 2020 relevant and human and touching, just a little bit too sentimental for my tastes. I suspect some of the more ‘incredible’ plot twists may have been made to reduce the reliance on lip synching. Fair enough as it’s harder to suspend disbelief if the actor’s lips don’t quite match what you’re hearing, but the overall impact was that I liked the concept more than the story.

I think the underlying idea of delivering outdoor performances partly through actors and partly through recorded sound via an app is an idea that could be expanded. Cities like Paris and London could run similar shows; maybe more site-specific, or using historic characters to reimagine lost parts of the city, for example. And it would be perfect for those little local festivals that pop up in different parts of London with small-scale and often very site-specific works. As a proof of concept I thought it was a success, but I am interested in seeing the next stages!

Get Ready to Project Confidence!

Just one piece of advice: to be a successful audience member for this type of show. You either need to not really notice passers-by, or be a confident member of the cultural elite. I quite enjoyed watching random people respond to a group of 15 with headphones on following two actors around. The stage manager also came into her own fielding questions and directing interested parties to book tickets for themselves. There are some moments of heightened emotion during the play however, where I was quite acutely aware that people were walking past wondering what the hell was going on and why we were all just standing around watching and not intervening. So either confidence or switching off that awareness of the world outside the play is key.

To summarise, I think c-o-n-t-a-c-t is worth an outing. It’s a new idea that has the potential to grow, but only if audiences attend and respond to it. The acting was good despite what must be the technical challenges of this piece. And it’s just rather nice on a fine evening to be ‘at the theatre’ while strolling along beside the Thames instead of cooped up in a seat with no leg room. So if Monument, Greenwich or Clapham is within easy reach, check it out!

On its own merits: 3/5
Implementing Covid rules: 4.5/5

c-o-n-t-a-c-t until 10 October 2020