That is all you need to know - Zoo Southside, Edinburgh

This review was first published on the public reviews.

The shameful treatment of the recently pardoned Alan Turing is well known; mathematical genius and breaker of the enigma code, he committed suicide after being convicted for his homosexuality. Turing’s story is tragic, but That Is All You Need To Know is keen to tell the story of all of the people who contributed to breaking the code and remained silent and the impact this had upon their lives.

The piece has the feel of  Complicite, with the precision of set changes, imaginative use of projection and perspective trickery. Paul Slater and the company have an excellent eye for a striking image and the bike seen from a birds eye view and their clever use of desks was particularly striking. The central idea behind the piece is that in order to move forward, you must first look back. The piece has just the right look and period fee.l It’s clear attention to detail has been paid by set designer Freda Johnson and costume designer Tash Prynne, but this also means that most of the actors play characters that are older than their years.

The acting, however, feels inconsistent throughout; the modern retelling is particularly weak and some of the actors lack the presence to drive the story forward and to support the fantastic imagery. The piece was appropriately modest in tone, but felt too reserved for such a young company. Slick and precise, and beautifully executed, but still needing to find the beating heart behind this incredible story.

http://www.thepublicreviews.com/that-is-all-you-need-to-know-zoo-southside-edinburgh/