Gecko: Missing (Manchester)

Venue: Contact
Where: Manchester

Award-winning physical theatre company Gecko presents Missing, an at once beautiful and disturbing journey into the depths of one person’s soul.  Lily seems to have everything but in this fast-paced and frenetic show, her world is turned upside down and windows begin to open on a painful, once-hidden past.

Created by Artistic Director Amit Lahav, Missing combines physical theatre, contemporary dance and puppetry with inventive moving scenery (designed by Rhys Jarman) and stunning lighting effects (by Chris Swain).  The five performers – Anna Finkel, Chris Evans, David Bartholomew, Georgina Roberts and Ryen Perkins-Gangnes – each play a number of roles and work together in perfect harmony, switching seamlessly between scenes to create Lily’s bizarre and beautiful world. 

From the detailed choreography of the nightclub scene where Lily meets her husband, to the snatched glimpses of fiery arguments between her passionate parents, this is an extraordinarily captivating and fast-paced show that doesn’t let up for a second.

Lahav hopes that Missing will mean something different to everyone, and since Lily’s story is delivered as a series of past and present vignettes rather than a linear narrative, the piece is certainly open to interpretation. 

Whatever you take away from it, Gecko’s stunning visuals – from the physical presence of the performers to the innovative props and scenery – are sure to leave a lasting impression.

– Harriet Chandler