Beautifully human and emotional: Unwanted Objects voices a unique perspective on the items that we carry throughout our lives.
Performed by creative duo David Head and Matt Glover, with only a guitar and a limited set, the story relies fully on your imagination and your acceptance of the whimsical tales that are told.
The show consists of chapters – each focusing on a different object within the secondhand shop, which is compassionately narrated by Head. Accompanying the luscious script is a song cycle of folk ballads, performed by Glover, each encapsulating the chapter that had just been told. In many ways it felt like a comforting audiobook, however, the emotive performances of both Head and Glover ensured that my eyes remained focused on each word as much as my ears.
Direction by Laura Killeen was purposeful throughout, although did sometimes feel a little stagnant, with the characters repeatedly picking up and moving their chairs for each chapter. However, I completely accept that this could have been due to the restrictions on the size of the space. Despite this, the intimacy of the squeak dome of Rotunda Theatre was the perfect partner for this intimate and honest performance.
The concept perfectly matches its atmosphere. There was something very ancient about feeling like I was sitting and listening to a storyteller, accompanied by a bard who helped to support the storyteller’s words. It felt like this experience would be very at home in an old bookshop, or indeed an antique shop – not dissimilar from the one that the objects within the play are held in.
I found this show surprisingly powerful. Acoustic music and a heavy focus on a well-constructed story have always been a recipe for an excellent show in my eyes, however, it takes a special show for you to be able to see yourself and loved ones within the piece.
The true genius of this show is that the stories are filled with universal truths for anyone – there is something for everyone to be able to relate to. And allowing an audience to see themselves within the piece makes it feel all the more significant.
Unwanted Objects isn’t so much bringing life to objects themselves as much as encompassing the realities of our world and showing us how our stories are carried in the objects we own. This is a show for creative and emotional people – wanting to remind themselves that they’re not alone and that we all have stories of our own to tell.
It would be an understatement to say that I enjoyed this show. It was poetic and impactful – I believe it’s essential viewing for anyone fond of being wistful and nostalgic. It was a pleasure to watch and listen to.
{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}
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