An evening watching poly bags swirling around to music? Could it be on a par with people escaping from imaginary boxes? Such was the scathing response from colleagues when I departed the office early to see L’Après-midi d’un foehn – the lead act at this year’s London Mime Festival. Following rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival and much acclaim from the national press, I was intrigued and wary in equal measure. Would the plastic fantastic production blow me away or was it just a lot of hot air?

Jean-Luc Beaujault

Hosted in the cosy venue of King’s Cross’s Platform Theatre, we are met by a shrouded figure slowly shredding strips of polythene bag to the soundtrack of tweeting birds, roaring lions and howling wolves. Imaginary box alarm bells start to ring. The attention finally shifts as a crumpled bag in the centre of the stage valiantly struggles to get up off the floor with a strangely moving vulnerability. Reminding myself that this is indeed a poly bag, my jaw drops as the bag mockingly pirouettes across the stage to the soothing strains of Debussy.

Joined by familiar stripy blue, green and yellow mates, the plastic fiends swoop, soar, tussle and tumble in a joyous romp from the ceiling to floor. Transfixed and perplexed in equal measure, my eyes scan the stage for invisible wires only to have that theory thwarted by the odd bag cast adrift and clinging to the fans. The cleverly-synchronised choreography is achieved by the use of air currents alone – a mind-boggling feat which I can’t begin to fathom.

Jean-Luc Beaujault Jean-Luc Beaujault

Wondering how much mileage can be had from prancing poly bags, (talented as they are), things suddenly take a dramatic turn as a golden dragon enters the stage. Like David against Goliath, our gallant hero rustles to the challenge in a wisp of pink polythene. A dramatic air battle ensues before the mass of writhing tissue-thin plastic deflates and is swept away. Recovering from the high drama, the grand finale takes us all completely by shock – a show-stopping scene which I’ll leave you to discover when they next return to London.

As an adult, very few things have the power to amaze you and L’Après-midi d’un foehn is one of those rare magical moments when childish wonder blazes a trail through the ordinariness of every day routine. Spotting a stray plastic bag fluttering on a tree branch on my walk home, I smile to myself as I reflect on an evening which really did confound my expectations and blow me away.

The London Mime Festival runs from the 8th January until the 1st February 2014. To book tickets visit: www.mimelondon.com.  For more information on future productions, visit: www.cienonnova.com

What cultural events have blown you away?  I would love to hear about your experiences.

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