Esme Davis
Get your wristband, take a deep breath, and step into the pulsing lights and hanging smoke of a rave. Three performers are already on stage, moving in unison to the beat of the music. And they aren’t planning on stopping anytime soon.
Oli Mathiesen, Lucy Lynch, and Sharvon Mortimer are jumping headfirst into fringe with The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave. For sixty minutes, the trio dance. And dance, and dance, and dance. For those experienced in raving, the concept will be a familiar one – entering into a dimly lit space, alive with the energy of hundreds of people moving to the pulsing music, and dancing until you can’t feel your feet. It is that feeling that this show encapsulates, it is a celebration of the power that music and coming together to dance can have, celebrating rave culture and the energy that comes with it.
The first thing to be said about this piece is the pure talent and stamina on stage. An hour of synchronous, endless choreography performed flawlessly, without a single dip in energy or commitment. The movement style is clearly drawn from the repetitive beat-driven dancing generally associated with raves, and this is explored and extrapolated as the performance develops, with a range of styles and variations making their way into the mix whilst still keeping true to the spirit and authenticity of the rave setting.
There is no obvious story to this show. It is confident and focused on the simple objective – capturing the energy and the creativity that is exclusively born within the world of a rave. That is not to say nothing changes. The consistency of the performance makes the few moments of difference all the more poignant. The pace changes, costumes are removed, small props are introduced, or there’s a hasty but energised break for water. There are also moments between the performers which add a layer to the piece. Never specific words, but moments of eye contact, heavy breathing, and checking in which humanises them and reminds you of the intensity, demand, and liveness of what you are watching.
This show reaches a complete new hight with the spectacular lighting design. Tube lights are hung above the stage and are used to incredible effect. Sometimes the whole stage is a flood of intense colour, sometimes we are peering through the smoke to catch the flickers of movement silhouetted in the dark. Again, the lighting is committed to the rave culture it reflects and consistently works with the music and the choreography to create a stunningly cohesive piece where the technical design is just as impressive and integral as the spectacle taking place on stage.
This show carves out a place for the ravers of the fringe, celebrating the uniqueness of a culture which has come under an array of scorn and threat over the years. The loud music and heavy use of strobe lighting does mean that audience members with accessibility needs should heed the content warnings, but these aspects are used with a necessity.
Each element of what makes raving special, artistic and liberating is captured in this piece, which irrefutably serves the audience it was designed for.
Recommended Drink: Cherry bomb shot, to keep the night dancing.
Performances of The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave have now concluded at EdFringe 2025.
Jake Mace
Lamesha Ruddock
