It’s hard to be able to describe seeing Siro-A, without experiencing the show for yourself. There is so much going on and you really have to see it, to believe it. The group was formed in 2002 by six classmates from Sendai, Japan. Reality and animation blend seamlessly in the ever-changing, futuristic landscape, although there are times in the show where we found ourselves scratching our heads, a little puzzled. We think it’s best to go in to the show with an open mind and preparing for the unexpected. They are a sort of cross between the wacky TV game shows that are broadcast from the Far East in the UK (think Tarrant on TV) and Japan’s answer to The Blue Man Group. Siro-A are a multi-award winning group, who have brought their show back to London for a third season, with a few additional twists, which has been updated for the UK audience.
What quickly impressed us about the show was the visual lighting displays. A multitude of neon graphics looked as though they were about to pop out and get close to you, almost as a psychedelic mash-up. The entire show is a complete visual spectacle, that keeps moving along at speed, keeping the audience laughing and engaged. Incorporated in the show is a mix of mime, comedy, music, puppetry and also, gulp – audience participation. Though you really do not have anything to fear, for the audience participation in the show is nothing short of hilarious. The six performers each bring their own element of talent and craziness, to interact with technology in creative and fun new ways. With their painted white faces and rather strange sense of style and expressions, they look rather like larger than life cartoon characters, with the energy of a playful mass of kittens with plenty of youthful exuberance.
The show is not without its faults however and parts of the show looked rather budget and a small part amateur in style. We think this is because although the imagery was very clever on the most part, but we felt as if there is still a lot about the show that can be improved on. The set could have been updated, as the pulling over of the piece of cloth curtain by hand made it feel more like a top-end college performance, rather than something shown in the heart of London’s Leicester Square. The show is more slapstick-style humour, than futuristic, which is what the posters would have us believe. The choreography in the show is very clever however and many parts of the show require skill and accurate timing skills, which they pulled off with excellent attention to detail. Overall, we felt that Siro-A is a mad, clever, bonkers, whirlwind of crazy and fun activity.
There is never a dull moment in Siro-A and it bring something new to London’s theatre scene. This is a show for all ages and there is something of a camp-panto theme to the show too. All in all, a feel-good show, with plenty of laughs. They also have their own You Tube page, where you can learn more about them at: https://www.youtube.com/user/siroaofficialchannel
