Review: WHAT IF Ticks All the Boxes at Tandanya Theatre

It is a characteristic of humanity that sets us apart from other species': the ability to imagine alternative worlds, to separate ourselves from instinct and act according to what we dream up. We are frequently taken by the proposition that if we could return to a certain moment in our lives, would we and what would we change. In local creative supernova Mahalia Barr-Mashei's latest offering at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, 'What If', a genesis of music, dance and drama twists around the concept of going back in time to change the course of fate.

The strength of the production was in the vocals of duo-ingénues Barr-Mashei and Kelly O'Brien, the talents of dancers Mieke Kriegesvelt, Felicity Boyd and Larissa Simpson, and the potent film that set the scene. Very few productions endeavour to present original music as this one did, all composed by Justin Pounsett and genuinely enjoyable as punctuation for the show's strong emotional backbone. 'What If' did not shy from triggering content, but did so responsibly with consideration for its audience and the realities of loss and trauma. A resonant message told creatively and powerfully, with local performers worth keeping an eye on year round.

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