Anna Burnside reviews a performance of magical realism that works well.
Shoehorned into the plastic seats of one of Edinburgh’s more makeshift venues, with a fortifying shot of mezcal to help us suspend disbelief, Mexico’s Pulpo Arts are our guides between the living and the dead.
Based on Juan Rulfo’s magical realist novel, Comala, Comala tells of a young man’s quest to fulfil his mother’s deathbed wish: that he finds his estranged father.
The shape-shifting narrative is told with an astounding range of instruments and a rotating cast of eight using some very hard-working scarves. One character is played by a giant animal skull that does double duty in the percussion corner.
Magical realism, like mezcal, is a strong flavour. Comala, Comala depends on the audience enjoying the experience rather than following every twist and turn of the porous plot.
Under those circumstances, it works well as the eight-strong cast play piano, accordion, fiddle, tiny mouth organs and a huge gong as well as the skull. Some of the singing is hauntingly sweet. Translations, projected onto a black back wall, offer some guidance.
And if it was a bit ambiguous for the rationalist members of the audience, at least there was more mezcal at the end.
Comala, Comala performs at Zoo Southside from 1715-1825 until August 25, 2024.
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