JIGSAW
Small Creatures in association with The National Arts Festival
A live, multi-media digital performance
Curated Programme, Virtual National Arts Festival, South Africa, 2020
Currents Festival, USA, 2020
Jigsaw is not theatre and not film. It is performed live and streamed from 2 different cities on a meeting platform and intercut with animation and film. It is the story of a reunion of two friends, sometimes dramatic, often comic. An exploration of male friendship, superheroes and the meaning of life.
Created by the company from an original concept by James Cuningham
Written and performed by James Cuningham and Iain Robinson
Directed by Sylvaine Strike
Screen direction and editing by Karen Logan
Animation by Hello Pocket / Music by Beaunoise
Review extracts from The Virtual National Arts Festival
South Africa, June / July 2020
“… visual and verbal poetry tackling all of life’s big questions… a perfectly pitched live digital performance directed by Sylvaine Strike.”
Chris Thurman, Business Day, July 2020
“Clever scripting allows for emotional swells and dips, with humour that is both gentle and harsh, with the awkwardness that sometimes comes with intimacy between men being communicated through the camera… thought provoking complexity and plenty of visual impact… Karen Logan’s excellent editing and the combination of the diverse elements makes Jigsaw a showcase of some of the more intriguing possibilities of a new, digital medium. And the culmination of the piece satisfies without stinting on reality – messiness in friendships that have value is inevitable but, perhaps, love can conquer all. Absorbing work.” Bruce Dennill, Parcitipate.co.za, July 2020
“… much of Jigsaw’s narrative draws its richness and memorability from these simple moments… Robinson and Cuningham do a fantastic job at translating a believable and entertaining relationship via the pixelated gaze of a webcam and an internet connection… the commitment to live performance is another one of Jigsaw’s triumphs… the simple fact that one knows they are watching a performance play itself out in real time to varying parts of the world is enough to rekindle some of that live theatre magic.” Dave Mann, The Critter, July 2020
“Under ‘things I didn’t know last year’ I can now file ‘A Zoom show made me cry’. Jigsaw is such a beautiful, beautiful piece of digital art”
Tracey Saunders, The Heart of Theatre, July 2020
“Intense… an existential wrestling match between two men and their bleeding hearts… really impressive and funny as well”. Lucien Windrich, Evoid
“Incredible… hilariously funny as well as moving to tears. Everyone has to see it” Helen Iskander, teacher, Central School of Speech and Drama, London
“I am stunned at the depth and sadness sent through barriers… Jigsaw removed barriers of technology and made us human, so, so human.”
Dr Jenni Underhill, University of Witwatersrand
“…a beautiful, existential, somewhat tragic 50 minutes… an honest, gut-wrenching and funny exchange between two friends… made me laugh, made me think, made me cry” Jessica Haines, actress
Jigsaw Trailer
