REVIEW: Not There Yet

©️Not There Yet

Not There Yet follows two young women on a motorway journey, gradually turning a seemingly ordinary road trip into an exploration of uncertainty, memory and companionship. Written and directed by Changchang Zhang, along with a creative team of Chinese students studying abroad. According to Changchang, the production was inspired by two flatmates experiencing social anxiety.

As the journey progresses, the two women begin to lose their memories, even forgetting events that have already happened. Their memories become increasingly fragmented, their dialogue begins to repeat itself, and they find themselves passing through similar scenery again and again. A begins to ask incessant questions and take notes, whilst B resolutely chooses not to probe further and simply carries on. These two starkly contrasting approaches to dealing with their predicament fill them with panic, giving rise to a number of conflicts.

When memories, personalities and ways of thinking differ so greatly, what does companionship really mean? The production leaves this sense of loss and unease largely unresolved, allowing the confusion surrounding memory to remain part of the journey. By the end of the play, the two characters do not attempt to convince each other, but to understand the situation from each other’s perspective and find a way to continue together. The journey begins with the idea of arrival, but ultimately becomes a search. Through brief road-trip vignettes, the drama explores the question: ‘When a sense of certainty vanishes, can we still choose to trust one another?’ Thus, two lost souls—strangers yet yearning for closeness—become the very heart of the story.

The production incorporates elements of a pixelated world. The two lead actors’ costumes feature anime-inspired details, whilst the stage set consists of several cubic boxes. These cubes are used as props during the performance; in certain driving sequences, they are moved in a loop to simulate the movement of a vehicle. Furthermore, the sound design draws inspiration from video game sound effects, creating a non-three-dimensional world. However, the sound effects are relatively simple and come across as somewhat monotonous. The little signpost cart used during scene changes was very charming and a delightful touch. Unfortunately, the crew repeatedly made mistakes whilst manoeuvring the cart. These errors tended to distract the audience and detracted from their viewing experience.

In terms of the script, the playwright demonstrated considerable literary skill. The language throughout the play flows smoothly and is more expressive than that found in many other student productions. One line in particular resonated deeply with me: ‘Sometimes I feel that what I have lost is not something specific. It is not a name, nor is it a particular day. It feels as though a single pixel has suddenly gone missing from somewhere, whilst everything around it remains exactly the same.’ This line struck a deep chord with me. Through delicate language, the playwright conveys many deeply personal feelings from everyday life; yet these feelings do not exist in isolation. On the contrary, this ‘pixel-like absence’ represents a subtle emotion that many have experienced but find difficult to articulate. Therefore, there is no need to worry that the story is too simple; the audience will gradually be drawn into the script and willingly accompany the story to its conclusion.

I believe that platforms such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (ED Fringe) are fertile ground for the growth of such works, so it is only fitting that this play should be featured at the Edinburgh Fringe. Although, as a student production, its textual depth cannot be compared to that of a fully-fledged script, the actors’ performances are somewhat raw, and the coordination and quality of the props still require improvement. However, I believe that amongst the various student productions, this piece is undoubtedly a labour of love. I am confident that as the team matures, the production will become increasingly polished. If you’re keen to see a student production, do give Not There Yet a go, but please don’t go in expecting the same level of polish as a fully-fledged professional production.

★★★

For more information, please visit: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/not-there-yet

Credits

Producers: Jiahang Wu, Yingi Xiao
Playwright & Director: Changchang Zhang
Associate Director & Movement Director: Sasha Tzu-Yin Hsu
Cast: Jiahang Wu, Mengwanyi Cheng
Tech & SM: Nyroc
Set Design: Ai Yu, Sicen Liu
Music Producer: Rishan Zhang
Lighting Designer: Yuan Wang, Sicen Liu
PR & Marketing: Ruhui Lv, Shanshan Zou
Special Thanks: Yuxin Jiang, Moragn Nie

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