SUPERHEROES The Space Until 24 Jul 2010 Review by Jamie Wright A surreal contemporary theatre piece about a group of unnamed characters in an rehab facility, ‘Superheroes’ is about war, the politics and culture that create it, and its impact on those who experience and survive it. While it forgoes a traditional narrative concept, written by Paulo Castro and conceived/directed by Jo Stone; both also perform, it moves from straightforward dialogue into fantastic dream sequences featuring captivating movement pieces, choreographed by Stone and the cast. With the other performers – Julian Crotti, Hew Parham, Nick Bennett, Nigel Major-Henderson and Lewis Rankin – they portray an enigmatic mix of characters: a deeply religious man, an officious staff member, a Nietzsche-loving pregnant woman, a damaged returned soldier, a silent (possibly catatonic) man, a superhero-obsessed man who’s awoken from a twenty-year coma, and the work experience boy. Wendy Todd’s design for the rehab facility – complete with walls in shades of sickly green –is excellent, conveying an institutional tone. Lighting, by Kerry Ireland, is also of a high quality, particularly in the surrealistic scenes; Sascha Budimski’s sound also contributes significantly to the impact and the overall feel of the production. Equal parts dark-humoured, confronting and chaotic, it isn’t the most accessible piece of theatre, but it is an engaging and thought-provoking experience.