Ways of Knowing Review – Stranded in the Dark

Ways of Knowing sets out to be radical and revelatory, but instead it confuses, alienates, and ultimately exhausts its audience. Emergency Chorus describe their practice as “bold experimentation” and a “unique, non-narrative theatrical language.” The ambition is admirable, but here the results feel muddled, more opaque than innovative.

The first half wanders between demi-synchronous barn dancing and scattered vignettes. The brief sketches about storm-predicting leeches and Victorian inventions raised genuine laughs, but they stood out mainly because the surrounding material felt so aimless. Without context or momentum, these moments of wit became isolated curiosities rather than part of a larger theatrical argument.

The second half initially suggested greater promise. A descent into a cave, lit with jagged stalagmites and stalactites, was visually striking and showcased impressive technical design. Yet this potential was obliterated by sound so punishingly loud that even with earplugs it became painful. Instead of immersion, it created alienation. In that state, whatever was happening on stage simply could not be absorbed.

A surreal “corporate interview” delivered by a hermit-like figure finally brought clarity, humour, and purpose. It was the one scene that managed to engage both idea and audience. But by that point the production had already squandered too much goodwill.

According to its press release, the show is meant as “a challenge to our desperation to control the unknown and an invitation to embrace uncertainty and carve out space for imagining radically better futures.” None of that was communicated on stage. Instead, Ways of Knowing often felt obscure for its own sake, demanding patience without offering insight.

There is value in non-linear, experimental theatre, but experiment alone is not enough. Risk-taking still needs to provoke, connect, or entertain. Here, the abstraction overwhelmed meaning, and the extremity pushed the audience away rather than drawing them in.

Ways of Knowing mistakes obscurity for depth and leaves its audience stranded in the dark.

★★

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Ways of Knowing

3:30pm

Underbelly Cowgate

31 July – 24 August 2025

Book tickets here