Issy Cory
Indra and NASA begin ‘training’ together to prepare themselves for a mission up into space. Everything is prepared, but when Indra tells NASA that they’re pregnant, that the mission is starting, NASA jumps (space)ship.
After a turbulent start to the mission, and following the team’s collapse, Indra is dealt another blow when they suddenly lose their pregnancy. Told through the metaphor of space travel, Indra tries to wrap their head around this failed mission, and how it’s affected their dreams of becoming an astronaut.
Wilson has written a stunning script for their autobiographical piece, complete with whimsical poetry, bold truths, and plenty of space-related imagery. The overriding metaphor is a clever one, as the trials of going into space are about as chaotic as those thrown up by pregnancy.
Float brings the unwavering grief of losing a pregnancy firmly into the foreground. We witness Indra losing all kinds of possibility, all the lives that they had begun to imagine for themselves, the pain of having to let go of this new identity they’d made for someone they’d never met.
Deftly woven in are the cruel ways in which Indra’s workplace treat them after this loss. We are reminded of the strict, nonsensical rules around taking leave for pregnancy loss, which brings this space-y story very much into the present.
Whilst the stellar concept is well thought-out, and built purposefully into every aspect of the production, the dialogue occasionally drifts into euphemism. At times, we long for Indra to stop swapping out babies for stars, astronauts for mothers, and bring this story back down to Earth.
Puzzling, at times, is the boundless amount of props and set pieces used throughout the performance. Cardboard boxes and paper planets are moved and re-moved repeatedly, sometimes with little reason. In these instances, it would have been nice to let the natural beauty of the script shine on its own.
Maia Harding’s compositions adorn Float with an otherworldly atmosphere that perfectly resonates with the production. Alongside quirky, and aspirational AV design, the visuals of Indra’s story are unsurprisingly staggering. It combines transformation, catharsis, and healing in a beguiling fashion.
Recommended Drink: Ginger shot, for the nausea.
You can catch Float at Other Yin at Gilded Balloon Patter House from Aug 23, 25 at 18:00. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jake Mace
Lamesha Ruddock
Jasmine Silk
