Three very good reviews and one not-so-good review from London
“Castle of Joy transcends the confines of traditional storytelling, offering audiences a thought-provoking and immersive theatrical experience.”
“Inventive staging and a haunting score, it leaves an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of its audience members, inviting them to ponder the shadows that lurk within society and us all. A well deserved standing ovation.”
“Det Ferösche Compagnie cements their place for me as pioneers in the world of innovative theatre, leaving us eagerly awaiting their next production.”
“Just as Joy refuses to live solely in reality, the audience of the Barbican’s Pit space suspends disbelief without question and joins Joy on his journey through a jumbled, sometimes cruel, often beautiful, world.”
“Unique in its championing of Faroese language and stories, and startling in its stagecraft, Det Ferösche Compagnie’s innovative Castle of Joy is a perfect example of powerful storytelling.”
“Part narrated in English, part in Faroese, there’s a musicality and depth hearing the story in two languages that authenticates the piece. While production values are instantly connectable to the swathes of imaginary theatre created for children, it’s a delight to see such techniques used in a production for adults, from shadow puppetry to the playful music and quirky characterisations.”
“Kristina Sørensen Ougaard is phenomenal .... Her astounding physical performance allows her vast range as every characterisation is believable, shadowed and assisted in the background by writer-director Búi Dam throughout the performance.”
“The piece is spectacularly ambitious, but of course, some of the hooks cast snag on the rocks of practicality. The constant exposition needed to feature both languages (without subtitles) grasps the ankles of the piece slowing it down to a crawl. In particular, poor Ougaard has to try to pull off a 3-way argument with only a change in the tilt of a handheld torch beam. Not easy.”