Arts Centre Washington
1 May 2014
Written and performed by Kirsten Luckins
Coming soon to Northern Stage: Book Tickets
‘This is a story about journey and change’ says a piece of paper that awaits you, when you take your seat, and gives a hint of the story that you will see before your eyes.
The title, ‘The Moon Cannot Be Stolen’, really means that it is not something that can be owned. The experience of the moon is not a finite resource, and so everyone can partake of the beauty of the moon without diminishing anyone else’s enjoyment of it. Of course someone might try to own the moon – they might forbid looking at it without permission. But doing so is foolish: at the very least it is nearly impossible to enforce. Secondly, it would be an extremely selfish act, since it deprives everyone else of something they would otherwise have had for free, without giving them anything in return. But this is not explained as well in the play for teenagers as it was not told word for word; it was more about philosophy and maybe more suited for adult viewers as it also featured some low frequency words that we might not be used to hearing.
However it is not the usual play that you think of at first, where it drags on for hours and hours; it’s one actor, one stage, and short 10-minute stories that all link in some way… Although the stories won’t make sense at first, don’t worry, as they will soon be clear through singing and stories of how ‘life is beginning… moving on, beginning, moving on’ like rivers that lead you down different paths and keep moving on to new places.
It’s a good experience to witness as it helps us appreciate drama and how it can be different. This play is energetic, non-stop, and with the bongo drums playing at the side of stage you are transported to a faraway place with the help of special effects and visual sources that stimulate the senses and help imagine the scenarios the actor creates.
The play was very imaginative and very unique, creative with a moral that links into today’s society in which we always search for what’s next. However, it was more of an adult play as we didn’t quite understand its message and the whole idea that the moon could not be stolen. Apart from that, it is recommended that you should see it for yourself and gather your own opinions as everyone thinks differently and what might not make sense to me, might to you. I strongly recommend you see this play, as it only runs for 60 minutes, but the time flies. You will be laughing a lot at the puns and familiar life stories. It’s truly a play you wouldn’t want to miss out on.
For more information on events at Arts Centre Washington, visit their official website.
