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Doppelganger Performance Group

Live performance has many things going for it, not least the ability of the actors taking part to connect with an audience on a truly visceral level. The experience is unique and intimate, and doesn’t rely on special effects to create tension.

Doppelganger Performance Group put on an intriguing and entertaining showcase of stage plays at Bournemouth University on Saturday 8th July. A mixture of farce, satire and social commentary, these short pieces proved the effectiveness of the medium and, at times, its power to shock.

One of the criticisms of contemporary film and television is that actors so often mumble their lines. Producers claim that regional accents and cultural diversity are one of the reasons, but this doesn’t always hold up. The same accusation couldn’t be levelled at the Doppelganger actors, who spoke clearly and confidently throughout. They also had an awareness of the space they were in and its relation to the audience. Those other staples of dramatic performance were also in evidence: body language, nuance, the use of silence, and perhaps even the occasional improvisation. All these elements combined to create a memorable evening and instil in the audience a respect for the craft.

Theatre is both freedom and restriction. Even in a live reading such as this, there is little room for mistakes. There are no cameras rolling, no director to yell, ‘Cut!’, and no multiple retakes in order to get it right. Live performance is a journey without a safety net. The actors have to rely on their skills and experience – and ultimately, of course, the ability to remember their lines!

Look out for more from this dynamic and talented group in future.

Cast:  Janine Nerissa Broadhead, Ellie Brooks, Mark Houlson, Molly Jackson.

Directors:  Jennifer Heaton & Josiah Ward                                                                       Producer: Janine Nerissa Broadhead

Writers: Rebecca Hawkes, Josiah Ward, John Foster, Kim Hemmingway, Mercy Lamech, Hilda Hansford and James Pope, Alexandra Kalymnois, Stefania Allegrini

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