Last weekend to enjoy 'You With Me' in Exeter
For the past few weekends, right in the heart of Exeter and under your noses, a new and very different form of theatre has been taking place.
In You With Me, there’s no stage, no visible actors, no audience sitting comfortably. Instead, this production offers a personal, unique and totally different experience, taking participants on a journey through Exeter and guiding them on a playful adventure in which unexpected incidents cause familiar routes to be seen with fresh eyes.
The perfomance starts with a phone call to a stranger - you know not what they look like nor where they are, but you know that they are near because they can see you. At first I felt this was very disconcerting, and I became suspicious of everyone around me, but at no point was it scary and soon I was on a tour around the city, being both the guide and the guided at various points.
Of course, each person is different, as will be your individual reaction to the experience, but that is the beauty of the idea. I felt at first unnerved and excited at the same time, then confusion set in when trying to figure out where my own personal 'performer' was - and of course they throw in a few red herrings to keep you guessing - but soon our conversations evolved into more of a deep and meaningful look at my life and connection with the city, exploring personal issues very close to my heart.
One of the great joys of You With Me was just taking the time to pause, talk and explore the city, with no place to get to, no child to collect or meeting to attend. I stayed well within my comfort zone, but ended the experience wishing I had been just that little bit more daring... maybe next time.
You With Me is the inaugural project from Kaleider, a producing engine for live performance in Exeter, funded by Arts Council’s three Year Strategic Investment for Theatre in Exeter. Written and directed by Kaleider’s Artistic Director, Seth Honnor, You With Me is a co-production with Reverb, a new theatre group made up of University of Exeter graduates interested in the exploration of space and location in live performance.
Seth Honnor said, ‘Kaleider is about bringing new experiences to the people of Exeter and forging new partnerships to create exciting, innovative and boundary breaking events. We are delighted to be working with Reverb on this project, which marks the start of a series of creative events for the city over the next three years.’
So if you fancy a fun, different and quirky experience this weekend, I would thoroughly recommend you give this a try before it finishes. And what's more, you pay what you feel able to. Go on, I dare you!
Visit youwithme.co.uk to select a time slot and book.
Tickets: Pay what you can
Age guidance: 16+
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