Lamesha Ruddock
Tree of Dreams is a stunning feat of imagination and artistry, created and performed by Duane Forrest and ensemble of object storytellers Sid K, and Connor Lifson. This show is poetic weaving projection, live feed, puppetry and live music into a living world from a child’s perspective that envelops the audience. From the very first moment, it is clear that you are in the hands of visionary artists unafraid to dream and to invite us to dream with them.
At its core, Tree of Dreams is a story about a child growing up in government housing who embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Confronting fear and uncertainty about the future, they begin to embrace the possibility of growth. Along the way, they encounter powerful creatures who become living symbols of the forces that shape who we are.
Now I understand Michael Jackson much better when he would record songs that appeared to him in the dream before it went to Prince. Tree of Dreams carries that same urgency, reminding us that dreams are not simply fleeting thoughts but vital messages worth enacting, worth protecting, worth sharing.
Storytelling is layered through inventive performance and production. iPads are dotted throughout the audience, livestreaming from cinematographer Shozo Okada specific imagery that is conjured before our eyes, transforming aisles and walls into canvases for projection. Every surface holds the capacity for transformation. Most memorably is the chilling imagery of water pouring into a vessel almost like a fish tank as the sleeping boy is submerged, a sequence that takes on deeper meaning when considering the disproportionate drowning of Black children.
The live soundscape and foley work give texture to the world. The struggle meal ritual of plain cornflakes and mountains of sugar shifts as herbs are planted, transforming the scene into a winter’s day in Toronto. His junior school homeroom is conjured through small wooden figures, his loneliness sharpened by side lighting. Lighting design is brilliant throughout, evoking old Hollywood tricks where torches become headlights and blue washes accompany suspended figures in air.
There is no distinction between nature and humanity in the work, embodied through the titled tree, conjured by the ensemble’s meandering hands interwoven with each other. The imagery builds further as the boy travels across their arms and shoulders in a never-ending loop, carried deeper into the trees.
The performance is enriched by the live vocals and storytelling of Duane Forrest, whose dual microphones, one for narration and one for dialogue creating an otherworldly layering of sound. Duane’s control is masterful, his guitar plucks pulsing like a heartbeat, his vocals conjuring memories across time. Tree of Dreams is innovative, epic yet intimate and rich in artistry. It is theatre that dares to dream, and in doing so, gives us permission to dream too.
You can catch Tree of Dreams until Saturday 23rd at Eve at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower from 11:30 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jake Mace
Jasmine Silk
