Revu The Late Utopians
“The Late Utopians” Poster
A percussive fever dream in the best way possible: The Late Utopians
A strong performance from Lilly Walker, a slick set by Theo Vasuloudes, a thumping soundtrack by Baby Cousland, and a surprising and unconventional story by Alfie Jones make The Late Utopians a strong second showing from COGGIA.
Emma Allen, a journalist, is tasked with writing about rave culture in New York City, something she has no knowledge of or experience of at all. So, she dives head first into a world of endless nightlife in search of the meaning of the people who inhabit it and the meaning of the world itself.
“The Late Utopians”
The one man/woman show at the Fringe is not new, but The Late Utopians is a clear example of it done well. Emma is grounded and straight laced but perhaps simultaneously only going through the motions of life with no true passion or meaning. This changes when at one of her raves, which she is attending for research for her article, she meets Mark and a connection develops between them. It sounds like the set up for a standard affair but it is the production’s willingness not to answer every question, not to tie up every loose end, where its beauty lies.
Indeed, despite being a quest for meaning, by not letting the meaning of itself and the world be so readily defined, this production stands out and asks an even bigger question about the human condition. Is the meaning of the night life, of the rave, of the world away from the outside world really something spiritual and profound? Or is it simply the product of drugs and delinquents and members of society the world would prefer to sweep under the rug?
“The Late Utopians”
The production’s story within a story narrative also echoes this. Emma starts by reading from one thing, only to be writing something different in the past, only for her reasons to write to change and what she is writing itself to change once more during the production.
In lesser hands, a story about partying or a story about writing could be cheap or self gratifying and when paired together, this presents even more of a danger, but The Late Utopians dances through the challenges and instead creates something that rings in your ears long after you’ve left.
Tickets can be found here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-late-utopians
4/5 Stars
“The Late Utopians”
By Ethan H.M.M
