I'd like you to meet my boyfriend

Of the Causes of Wonderful Things is a darkly sombre theatre installation. Written and performed by Talya Rubin, the story follows the disappearance of five children in a small community. The pacing is slow and deliberate and the narrative is split between various perspectives, following the main characters Aunt Esther, Claire (the children’s mother) and the Detective.

Aunt Esther’s character is caregiver to the five children, whose mother, Claire is under the charms of a new French boyfriend. Rubin’s portrayal of Esther is an apathetic one, which tends to distance the audience as she struggles to show any real emotions at the loss of the children. Esther enlists the help of a Detective when the children go missing, whose efforts to find them are feeble at best. Claire is no less puzzling, holding a veil over her motivations and emotions that the audience must decipher. The character is distant, with psychological scars that prevent her from connecting with her children and even the new boyfriend, who is represented by a sinister puppet.

Rubin switches between each role with little change in characterisation. The audience is left to assume the character’s role, though with set and lighting changes this becomes clearer. Each of the characters are seemingly disconnected, indeed they never meet, but the strings that holds them together are their associations with the children.

There is a pervading sense of danger, which creates an unsettled atmosphere. The children’s disappearance is never fully explained, only hints and suggestions are given. Rubin’s portrayal of the children shines most, offering a raw interpretation from their innocent memories of the event. These scenes are the most engaging and interesting, tugging at the heartstrings as the children each recount their fragmented experience of what happened to them. Reminiscent of the The Lovely Bones, the themes of loss and secrets leave a haunted feeling.

Most of the story is doled out in dribs and drabs, as the audience is left to piece things together. Little detail is offered, leaving the emotional content to shine through. What it lacked in detail it excelled in suggestion and implication.

The use of visuals and sound are effective, with various short scenes involving miniature dioramas and dolls to represent the lost children. Abstract images are projected in large format negatives, complemented by an immersive sound design by Hayley Forward. The most effective of these was a doll, projected as a shadow against the wall whose image was blurred by a water bottle. The audience was left with much to ponder, sitting quietly for a moment before leaving.

Not suitable for young children, the solo show is more for those with an open mind and an active imagination. Credit must be given to Rubin, who faced a four-person audience on the night of my attendance. It is the demon that haunts the lesser-known Fringe shows; where an actor faces a blank audience while their voice echoes in the empty halls. It did not hinder Rubin, however. It added to the unnerving ambience and her performance illustrated the bravery and intensity of a seasoned actor.

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