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ROB

Teatre de l’Abast and Zero en Conducta (Valencia, Spain)

Rob, by Pucha, Victoria Mínguez, Ramón Rodenas, LucÍa Aibar

by Gareth K Vile

When Rob got on his ship, he didn't know he would never reach his destination. But maybe fate had a place reserved: an island where all he will find is himself. Sit back, relax and have a pleasant shipwreck…

When life drifts, imagination becomes our only lifeboat. Dear audience, thank you for coming to join Rob in his solitude. But don't yell at him, don't call him: he won't be able to hear you. Even though his island seems to be on the outside, it actually resides inside him. Inspired by Robinson Crusoe, Rob is a solo show, performed without words. As Rob waits to be rescued, he uses physical movement, puppetry and dance in conjunction with an original score and immersive lighting to convey ideas about migration and refugees in a complex and beautiful manner that is suitable for all the family.

How do the puppets fits with the production, and what role do they play within the narrative?

Rob is a character who finds himself alone on an islet. In this situation everything revolves around death. In the pact, the coexistence and the acceptance of death, which is represented by a skull that Rob brings to life, thus becoming a puppeteer who gives life to his "friend", an existential ghost that accompanies him and prevents madness from invading him... completely.

The play also uses other puppets that help ROB to tell his story, such as a fish he finds at the bottom of the sea and even a shadow theatre scene that tells us how our protagonist has reached this deserted island

What is it about puppets that encourages you to use them in Rob?

The play is deeply puppet-like, because of the splitting of the actor (Rob) and the puppet (the skull), necessary to listen without words to Rob's dialogues with himself, and because of the very meaning of the art of puppets as inanimate objects that are brought to life.

How did you first develop the skills for using a puppet?

Precisely during the rehearsals of this play and always perfecting this skill during each performance.

Rob explores issues of migration: is physical theatre a good way to explore these kind of concepts?

Any kind of theatre is a good way to talk about these social issues. And not only the more conventional theatre, but also physical theatre, object theatre, dance and in short any form of the performing arts make things visible on stage that are not visible in other ways.

What kind of reactions have you been getting for the production?

It has always generated a positive reaction. The play has a lot of comedy within the drama of the main character. Everyone is very sympathetic to the character and the friendly relationship he has with the skull. And the bittersweet ending invites the audience to reflect on the problem of migration.

Listings Information

C ARTS | C venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe | C digital, online year-round, venue 4, Available now at

00:00:00 (0hr55) Tickets £4.50-£17.50 Theatre (Family-friendly, Storytelling, Physical theatre, Devised,

Contemporary) (recommended for ages 5+)