Reader Reviews
The Elephant Vanishes (Barbican Centre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Saw this last night. Thought it was spectacular. Complicite have done it again. It's not particularly emotionally involving but as a mood piece, and a piece of invention, it's absolutely captivating. I couldn't believe that only 7 people came on for the curtain call. It seemed, in motion, like a cast of at least 20. Brilliant work from them all. Oh, and it's worth seeing if only for perhaps the best start to a play EVER... - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.67.76) | 20 Sep 04 |
| Unbelievable. Spectacular. I was blown away by this astounding production. The stagecraft was fantastic. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.42.254.234) | 18 Sep 04 |
| What a stunning event. It's a hi-tech show, a close companion piece to Complicite's Mnemonic rather than the kind of earthy theatrical experience we got with The Street of Crocodiles and Light. The theme of The Elephant Vanishes demands it, though: it's a symbolised look at the way a modern city's overwhelming light and lifestyle blurs and obliterates the identity of the individual within society. (That's summed up in a great closing image that I won't give away.) It could be argued that Simon McBurney revisits too many of his old stage tricks here - I recognised several old favourites - but since they all work so well I was happy to be dazzled by his show - in all senses of the word. Brilliant. Job - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.144.130.1) | 17 Sep 04 |
| A faultless adaption of 3 Murakami short stories each with their own style. Firstly 'The elephant vanishes' is a bizarre tale of a young man fascinated by the disappearance of a local Elephant along with it's keeper. In 'The Second Bakery Attack' a recently married couple rob a McDonalds to satisfy their aching hunger. Finally in 'Sleep' a Tokyo housewife borders on insanity through the lack of sleep and the realisation that she has become disgusted at sight of her husband and son. Murakami is one of the most interesting novelists around at the moment and this production really does his material justice, catch it while you can. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.253.96.44) | 12 Sep 04 |
| Another awaesome and innovative show from Mc Burney and Complicite. A compelling combination of technology and physical theatre that assaults the senses. The Stories are strong too escpecially the sleep deprived wife's story and the hilarious bakery attack and the title story haunting and elegaic for lost nature in the world of light. It starts with a technical hitch and crescendoes to a visual and aural kaleidescope of Tokyo based alienation. Like a more sophisticated and surreal Lost in Translation thsi production is a wonder of teh modern stage age! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.225.15.57) | 12 Sep 04 |
| A breath-taking assault on the senses. Thrillingly innovative and always compelling, this is probably the most creative evening I have witnessed in a long time. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (172.186.244.240) | 07 Sep 04 |
| This play was amazing. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (63.115.34.70) | 28 Jul 04 |
