Jigsaw

ABOUT

Jigsaw is the flagship production of the Hilton Arts Festival 2020.

“… visual and verbal poetry tackling all of life’s big questions… a perfectly pitched live digital performance directed by Sylvaine Strike.” Chris Thurman, Business Day, July 2020

Simon has something growing in his head. Paul has lost someone. Filled with humour, pathos and a good dose of male oneupmanship, Jigsaw is a reunion of two once-close friends as they attempt to reconnect, assemble pieces of their lives, and unpack thermodynamics. 

“Clever scripting... thought provoking complexity and plenty of visual impact… Karen Logan’s excellent editing and the combination of the diverse elements makes Jigsaw a showcase of some of the more intriguing possibilities of a new, digital medium. And the culmination of the piece satisfies without stinting on reality – messiness in friendships that have value is inevitable but, perhaps, love can conquer all. Absorbing work.” Bruce Dennill, Parcitipate.co.za, July 2020

“I am stunned at the depth and sadness sent through barriers… Jigsaw removed barriers of technology and made us human, so, so human.”

Dr Jenni Underhill, University of Witwatersrand

Created from a desire to explore live storytelling in a two-dimensional, distanced space, Jigsaw is told through animation, film and an online meeting platform. With the performers interacting across different continents, Jigsaw was first performed, streamed and viewed live at The Virtual National Arts Festival 2020, who also co-presented the production, and recently at The Currents New Media Festival in New Mexico, USA. The screening for The Hilton Festival is taken from a recording of the latest live performance at Currents which also streamed to audiences in LA and New York on August 23rd 2020.

Jigsaw is such a beautiful, beautiful piece of digital art”

Tracey Saunders, The Heart of Theatre, July 2020

For more information, see www.smallcreatures.org

Created by the company, based on an original concept by James Cuningham

Directed by Sylvaine Strike

Written and performed by James Cuningham and Iain Robinson

Screen direction and editing by Karen Logan

Animation by Hello Pocket

Additional illustration by Iain ‘Ewok’ Robinson

Voice Overs by Sylvaine Strike and MoMo Matsunyane

Stage management by Andrea Van Tonder and Karen Logan

Music by Beaunoise  and Iain ‘Ewok' Robinson

Broadcast by Fritz de Jager and Paul-Rupert van Zyl