Broadway Baby

Forget Walls, I Was Floored

The premise of If Walls Could Talk is deceptively simple. Five twenty-somethings sit around and each tell two real stories from their life, and a guest speaker is also invited from the audience to share a story from their own lives. As I said, deceptively simple.
   Astonishingly, this simple format provides for some of the best theatre I have not only seen at the Fringe, but some of the best theatre I have seen this year. It is heartfelt, passionate, funny and inspirational. The selection of stories the young cast have chosen to share are perfect (and some are particularly brave). They are punctuated with spurts of live music by the talented cast. If Walls Could Talk has a lovely home-made feel about it and by the time you leave, you feel like you've made five new friends. The actors laugh and cry with their friend's stories. The performance was completely devoid of pretension and the atmosphere was very relaxed.
   Usually this is the paragraph in which I point out flaws in the performance; but to criticise anything in this show would be pedantry of the highest order. The relaxed nature and direct relationship with the audience means that this show can be forgiven for faults other plays may be criticised for. The sheer power of the performer's storytelling is enough to outweigh any possible criticisms. I only give five-star reviews to shows that either keep me thinking for hours afterwards or affect me emotionally in some way. If Walls Could Talk did both - I laughed, I cried and I spent hours wondering how something so simple could be so powerful.
   I absolutely implore you to go and see this show at any cost, you will be as surprised as I to see how something so basic can be so impressive. It is a testament to the cast that just by telling stories for an hour without high dramatics they can produce something far more incredible and entertaining than a big-budget, over-rehearsed production.

Stephanie Bartlett

ThreeWeeks

Damp and dreary, the Edinburgh weather wasn’t putting many smiles on Festival-goers’ faces. So Tip Of The Tongue’s production of ‘If Walls Could Talk’ is just the happiness-boost to get people grinning. This bunch of student storytellers are far from damp and anything but dreary, and their short tales are heart-warming and personal without being overly gushy, quite a feat considering the range of issues covered, from ketchup stains on white trousers to watching a family member endure Parkinson’s Disease. Don’t expect the most visually astounding or hard-hitting of performances from this show, but do expect something completely charming. Definitely make the most of this sunny little Festival mini-gem.

Ciara Knowles

Scotsman

They say you should write about what you know and this young storytelling company has done just that - sharing with us their cherished tales of childhood.

We are welcomed into the theatre by a smiling circle of performers, playing sweet, folky music on a stage covered by a rug scattered with toys, suitcases and chests of drawers.

One by one memories are unpacked: the tale of a treasured teddy bear, of terrible presents, of childhood superstitions. There are family stories, how a grandfather and grandmother first met and of the moment world events suddenly interrupted the peace of a childhood birthday party.

Not all the memories are sunny ones; there are stories of illness and confusion which will move you to tears. But all the tales are told with a light heart and ready humour and the young storytellers share their memories with warmth, simplicity and charm.

After telling an embarrassing tale from his youth, one of the performers unexpectedly ends his story by going up to his mother in the front row and planting a kiss on her cheek.

It just goes to show you don't have to have an unhappy childhood to have an interesting story to tell.

Claire Smith

U-Review (in collaboration with The Stage)

Entering the space for If Walls Could Talk was like walking into someone’s living room, complete with homely furnishings and two “Guess Who?” sets on the rug. A snug setting for the storytelling session that was about to begin.

Our five yarn spinners each told, with great linguistic dexterity, two anecdotes from their own pasts, some trivial, others deeply personal, but all heartfelt. There was plenty to relate to – sibling rivalry, favourite teddies and revolting Christmas presents – yet each tale had its own uniqueness. Both ends of the emotional spectrum were touched; the idea of Will Barwick’s playground re-enactment of the film The Full Monty triggered a hearty chuckle, whereas Alison Ford was met with reverent silence as she bravely told us about her grandfather’s battle with Parkinson’s disease.

The individuals’ stories were garnished with illustrative activity from the group which enhanced the theatricality, although this sometimes felt a little forced. What did provide an interesting visual dimension was the way objects present onstage had their significance gradually revealed. The musical accompaniments were competent rather than virtuosic, but this seemed appropriate to the relaxed context.

Tip of the Tongue’s enthusiasm for shared human experience is admirable; they open up their show to anyone with a tale to tell, with one guest storyteller per performance. They were friendly and approachable both before and after the piece, which felt more like a family gathering than a performer and audience scenario.

Not exactly a tour de force, but certainly a very pleasant hour.

Steve Graney

Ravenrock's EDINblah featuring Tip of the Tongue