Reviews

SGFringe - Alvin Sputnik Review | Edinburgh Fringe

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:46:52 +0100

Set in a world in which Mother Nature has taken her revenge; the ice caps are melting, people and polar bears are desperate to survive but stand very little chance against the rapidly rising water. This is a dying world, in need of a hero. Enter, the eponymous character Alvin Sputnik, who, with little left to lose embarks on a quest to save the planet.
This is a simplistic tale, but one which captures emotions inherent in humanity. We experience loss, hope and love, all within the space of a wonderfully romantic hour of pure abandonment.
The staging of this magnificent, Disney eat your heart out type show, was beautifully managed, with lighting and the gentle mandolin tracks toying with the audiences emotions and making us ever more empathetic with a little animated stick man. The mixture of puppetry, animation and mime kept the show fresh and interesting, whilst being easily inventive too; a plastic bag used as a jelly fish wafting around in the ocean was met with many ‘oohs and ahs’.
It is not the most intricate of tales, and in all honesty that much doesn’t actually happen, but it is relatable, winsome and utterly enchanting. An absolute ‘must see’, of the Edinburgh Fringe, 2011.

The Guardian - Alvin Sputnik Review | Edinburgh Fringe

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:43:22 +0100

by Lyn Gardner

Ingenious … The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik. Photograph: Murdo Macleod

Nature has taken her revenge on humanity. Her "menopausal rage" has produced devastation and rising sea levels. Millions are dead and all attempts to save the world – refreezing the ice caps; draining the oceans dry – have met with failure. In this post-apocalyptic world, the few damp survivors cling to life atop skyscrapers. What this world needs is a superhero. It gets one in the recently bereaved Alvin Sputnik who, after the death of his beloved wife from a bad cough, feels that he has nothing left to live for, and nothing left to lose.
There is a touch of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in this deceptively simple one-man show from Tim Watts that uses an ingenious and beguiling blend of live action, puppetry, animation, music and film to tell a story of love, loss and quiet heroism with an engaging energy. Wearing his deep-sea diving gear, Alvin heads down into the depths in the desperate hope of reconnecting with his lost wife's soul and saving the world. But there are monsters lurking in the watery darkness.
There is much that is childlike here, and children would undoubtedly enjoy this underwater odyssey, but this is not a childish show by any means. It's hugely playful and inventive, but it is also full of grief and the pain of loss. It's charming, but also a bit heartbreaking, too. The backstory could do with streamlining, and even at 45 minutes, it almost outstays its welcome. But this underwater micro-epic has as big a heart as its unlikely hero, and offers a whale of a time in a miniature format.

The Public Reviews - Alvin Sputnik Review | Edinburgh Fringe

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:32:55 +0100

Before we start It must be said that this is one of the most beautifully constructed, and endearing fringe productions I have ever seen, and it is no surprise that it is selling out on a daily basis, with its magical blend of live performance, puppetry and animation (both live and pre-recorded) Weeping Spoon Productions have a sure fire hit on their hands.
The seas have risen and earth is completely flooded, our lonely hero is mourning the loss of his wife, when a cry from Earth HQ is heard, seeking a hero to find a lost oasis at the bottom of the sea, that could potentially be a ground for life to survive and a new paradise found for all humankind.
The production is constantly creative and revels in its own quirky uniqueness, it’s hard not to be emotionally touched in this tragic but ultimately inspiring story of a small figure who against the odds managed to save mankind.
The production is enigmatically underscored with original music and more modern pop songs – including perhaps the best use of Mika I have ever encountered. Alvin Sputnik is a rare treat and feels like the love child of an early Tim Burton animation. Tim Watts the creator and indeed only performer is deserved of every clap, every whoop and every award that is surly coming his way.
YOU MUST SEE THIS SHOW!
By John Roberts

The Scotsman - Alvin Sputnik Review | Edinburgh Fringe

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:21:31 +0100

In the future, the ice caps have melted, polar bears don't even have hunks of ice to cling to and rooftops are no escape from the rising waters.
The few survivors of global warming's devastation build little cottages on the roofs of the highest skyscrapers to live out their lives, the waters lapping at the upper levels of their homes' towering foundations. Alvin and his wife Helena are two of these survivors, happy with one another - until Helena takes ill and dies, her glowing ball of a soul floating out of the window and sinking deep into the neverending ocean. Alvin is heartbroken and alone, when a television signal from Earth HQ calling for heroes to help restore the world sends him on a death-defying dive into the deep.
If that all sounds gloomy, please be assured this is surely one of the most heart-warming and life-affirming shows you'll see at the Fringe this year, not to mention a pocket masterpiece of invention, staging and performance. It's a one-man show by Tim Watts, from Perth, Australia, and his skill is such that it feels as if a large cast is at work. Using puppetry, shadowplay and animated film, as well as his own minutely observed acting, Watts creates a fantasy world which is part Wall-E and part Up, but with intimate theatrical artisanry in place of mass-produced commercial scale.
The most amusing and spectacularly drawn scenes come when Alvin dons his deep-sea suit, a spherical white "helmet" held in one of Watts' black-gloved hands, his other hand contorted into the shape of a body. Whether disco dancing to McFadden & Whitehead's Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now or frolicking with a glowing yellow whale possessed by Helena, this mini-Alvin is intensely lifelike and suited to adult pathos just as much as childlike clowning around. Cute and hugely expressive, in other words.
Are there any flaws? None whatsoever with Watts' show, although perhaps those with smaller children who want them to be fully immersed in the performance might like to turn up early to claim seats in the first couple of rows, for the sake of getting a good view. It would be nice if the venue offered this as standard, in fact. Otherwise just take a hanky - there will be floods of tears.
By David Pollock

Broadway Baby - Alvin Sputnik Review | Edinburgh Fringe

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:52:23 +0100

Mission Accomplished
by Heather Mort

The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik is a visually stunning production which mixes multimedia and puppetry in a unique and touching solo show by Tim Watts. In a post-apocalyptic world, where the seas have risen and all are banished to rooftops, Alvin must journey to the bottom of the ocean to retrieve his wife’s soul and save humanity.

   Alvin’s adventure is documented through music, animation and puppetry, although the latter two contributed more to the production. The live songs played on the ukulele don’t detract from the production, but do seem somewhat out of place in the show as the aesthetics of the projections and puppetry were so visually harmonious. In contrast, the recorded musical score for the production is breathtaking, and use of recognisable pop songs provides a light hearted touch.

   The visual space is mostly defined by animation, and there are moments where you feel you spend a long time watching a screen. The addition of set pieces to the deep-sea landscape is therefore a most welcome addition, as they open up the playing space, allowing the puppetry to excel.

   The way in which Watts executes his puppetry is original and engrossing. Consisting of one gloved hand as the body and a separate head held and directed by his other hand, it is astonishing how Watts can articulate such compelling body language. There is such humanity and life in Alvin that you will be rooting for him all the way in his aquatic journey.

   The narrative is of this production is touching and poignant. It nods at the global warming crisis and environmental issues without sensationalising it or alienating the audience. But in essence it is a love story, which will stay with audiences for a long time.