A woman’s journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance is laid bare through gorgeous silhouette projections in this ambitiously creative piece.
Penned by K. Quinn Hampton and clearly inspired by ‘Dante’s Inferno’, Quinn’s Abyss is told by Quinn Hampton, exploring a story which sees a girl trapped in a dark, confusing maze, which soon becomes known as the ‘Labyrinth of the Lost’, where dragons, tormented souls and two-headed serpents lead Quinn on a journey about herself, for herself.
It is a neat idea even if the premise is a little too predictable. What does shine through, though, is the remarkable creativity on display here. The silhouette projections, prerecorded and projected over Quinn Hampton’s narration, are striking and stark, methodically put together and layered for maximum effect, especially in scenes of violent despair. Indeed, in a production which risks becoming static, with Quinn Hampton standing to the side for the entire show, it is the vibrancy of the on-screen material which keeps the play’s momentum moving.
The static positioning of Quinn Hampton’s narration does thwart her a little from being able to fully throw herself into the words, and it does not seem too difficult for there to be a little more movement here, or perhaps some increased use of sound effects between scene transitions to help maintain scenes’ emotions. It is clearly a very personal and poignant piece for Quinn Hampton, and while this does come through, a little more theatricality would help to draw audiences further into Quinn’s journey.
Nevertheless, there is clearly potential in this work, and it is worth seeing for the intricacy of the projections alone. While the inspiration of Dante’s Inferno, with hellish soundscapes and frightening beasts, is there, this is a creative individual work, and one that enables Quinn Hampton’s potential as a theatremaker to shine through.
