Writers: Natalia Barraza, Matteo Frau and Mina Trapp
Director: Natalia Barraza
Frau Trapp’s Five Lines is an arresting blend of micro-cinema and theatre, a hypnotic exploration of human resilience set against a dystopian backdrop of authoritarian underground living. Making its UK debut at the Barbican’s Pit, this intricate production harnesses live projection, miniature models, and an evocative score to create a world both intimate and vast.
The craftsmanship on display is nothing short of remarkable. Mina Trapp’s Miniature landscapes, painstakingly detailed, are manipulated in real-time, their shifting forms magnified on a large screen to conjure an eerie and desolate future. This interplay between physical models and live cinema creates a sense of immersion rarely achieved on stage, allowing the smallest gestures to carry enormous weight. Direction by Natalia Barazza has left nothing to chance. The aesthetic is stark, industrial, and hauntingly beautiful, underscored by Matteo Frau’s score that pulses with melancholic urgency.
However, the production falters in its storytelling. While the visuals paint a world teetering on the brink of collapse, the narrative remains frustratingly opaque. The central couple, bound by love and survival, move through an undefined crisis, yet the mechanics of their world remain elusive. The script, by Natalia Barraza, Matteo Frau and Mina Trapp lacks a clear sense of societal structure or cause-and-effect within the dystopia, causing the stakes to lose their immediacy. The themes of greed and isolation resonate, but the lack of worldbuilding leaves the emotional impact somewhat diluted. This isn’t helped by the narration by Mila von Chobiak. Delivered in a measured, almost detached tone, the disembodied voice maintains a constant, monotone cadence that fails to heighten tension or deepen engagement.
Five Lines remains an innovative and striking production. The synergy between tactile craftsmanship and digital projection is masterful, transforming simple materials into a cinematic spectacle. The juxtaposition of intricate, handmade worlds with blown-up live cinema speaks to the power of theatre to reimagine scale and perspective. While the storytelling lacks depth and the narration risks disengagement, the sheer ingenuity of the production ensures a captivating experience.
Frau Trapp’s UK debut leaves a lasting impression, marking them as a company with a distinctive voice and an extraordinary visual language. With greater narrative clarity and more dynamic delivery, their future work has the potential to be truly transcendent.
Runs until 1st February 2025
