As Long as the Stars Last, BodyScramble Review
Written by Bronagh for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Content warnings: potential flashing lights, popping of balloons/use of latex balloons
I really did not know what to expect when I read that As Long as the Stars Last was non-verbal based – would it be total silence? I also wasn’t familiar with Italo Calvino’s ‘Cosmicomics’ either, which this show is a reimagining of. For anyone else unsure, this is a collection of twelve short stories based on scientific theories. So in a nutshell, I simply had no idea what to expect as I walked into the theatre, except that the audience was promised a show containing plenty of story telling methods, including mime and movement. The hour that followed was nothing short of impressive, thoughtful, puzzling in parts yet like nothing I have seen before.
We meet our unnamed cast (ZE, Wency Lam, Lulu Deng, Sean Croft and Ali Wilson-Goldsmith) as they take to the stage in silence, donning white boiler suits and white makeup across their eyes. The show starts with a short dance performance, which was incredible to watch and engaged me straight away. The next short section related to whether the earth is round or flat, ending in an audience vote. This section had joyful elements that I can’t help but compare to a children’s television programme, one of those ones that teaches science in fun ways to younger children. There was some speaking in this section, albeit it a few words here and there, now putting me at ease that we would not be sat in silence throughout. As the show ticked over, I did wonder whether this section instead could have been used to break up the more sombre tones. As mentioned, I was not familiar with Cosmicomics so this very well could be a null point.
I was truly enthralled by the performance itself. The movement throughout was stunning to watch, showing off the abilities of all five creatives. At times I felt like I was watching a gymnastics routine, it was that impressive particularly given that The Golden Goose Theatre is a small space. It’s got to be a truly special performance to tell a story with limited speech, something that BodyScramble as a collective have absolutely nailed.
As The Stars Last also uses object manipulation in order to tell the story. Now I know this can be done particularly well and fit into a stage show fantastically, however, I actually couldn’t see too much of what was going on in these particular moment. This was purely down to where I was seated, and no criticism of the show itself, but I do wonder if this could be an aspect somehow preened and polished in order to ensure everybody in the audience can see these moments.
A note on the theatre itself, The Golden Goose Theatre is a lovely little pub theatre roughly a ten minute walk from Oval Tube. The staff are all very friendly, and if you’re lucky you may meet the lovely dog behind the bar!
BodyScramble is a brand new collective, so we can’t expect everything to be perfect, but they have got a lot right with this production. Using BSL throughout is brilliant, and something that I would love to see incorporated into more shows in order to alleviate inclusivity.
If you want to be shot into space and dazzled, then I recommend that you try to squeeze in a trip to see As Long as the Stars Last before the run ends. If you can’t manage that, I would encourage you to keep up to date with BodyScramble and future projects that will undoubtedly be just as wonderful.
At The Golden Goose Theatre until 8th March 2025
★★★★
