Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events
Tale of a Potato
What does a potato think about? How are potatoes born and what happens during their lives no mater how short? Batisfera, a theatre company from Italy have the answer in their new show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025! Potatoes are sturdy and functional vegetables and so is the interesting set for his show. We are greeted in a kitchen with an island counter for preparing food but in this case the wooden table top is the stage for the characters or rather the vegetables!
Our host is performer Valentina Fadda who skillfully moves the potato and its friends and relatives around the stage in a charming tabletop object puppetry style. Valentina developes a rapport with the audience as she begins to narrate the story, intermingled with conversations of the characters through her voice. Let’s start, she proclaims and we are in her care for this thirty minute show. We meet he most important character, the potato, and Valentina calls out it the Protagonist. We follow the potato through parts of its life meeting other vegetables such as the tall aubergine and personable squat cauliflower as the modest potato’s life journey begins.
Written and directed by Angelo Trofa the tale is fascinating and imaginative. Creative lighting design by Luca Carta is simple but effective and transforms with the set seamlessly for different scenes. The music by Luca Spanu supports the mood and action of the story well. Generally the sound levels might benefit from tweaking here and there in this space in order to appreciate and understand the narration when spoken fast or loud music when the narration happens.
Each new character has enough personality to keep this story moving and developing. Some of the most effective moments are when the narrator’s voice shares slowly and softly suggesting a tender moment of the life of our Protagonist Potato.
Months and seasons pass including a beautiful, wintery scene efficiently brought onstage and off. The dark atmosphere with the mini lighting in this bijou theatre is effective for these tubers et al to share their story. The writing moves swiftly from narrative to dialogue and questions for the audience to contemplate. It flows well yet at times I found myself wondering what was happening exactly, matching the narration with the action. There is much charm about this show and no doubt it will develop and finesse as the run progresses. Recommended!
More information:
https://www.batisfera.com/about-2/
Jo Tomalin studied with Jacques Lecoq in Paris. She completed the two year professional course at Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris, France, where she also completed the Laboratoire du Mouvement (LEM) scenography, mask and movement course.
Originally from England, Jo is currently based in San Francisco, where she reviews Theatre & Dance for www.ForAllEvents.com & www.FringeReview.co.uk. She is a Professor in the School of Theatre & Dance at San Francisco State University where she teaches performance subjects and directs MainStage plays. She also works in the performing arts field as a freelance movement & voice specialist, director + actor. Jo’s play “Jessica” which she also directed was produced at the Fringe of Marin – a One Act New Play Festival in Northern California.
Jo Tomalin graduated with a degree from London University’s Laban Centre Teaching Credential program in Modern Dance, Art of Movement & Choreography; studied Classical Acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London; completed a teacher’s diploma (ATCL) in Voice and Acting from Trinity College of Dramatic Art, London; and studied classical ballet for 12 years.
Jo also holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Instructional Design for Online Learning from Capella University, MN, and a Master of Science degree in Educational Technology from Boise State University in the USA.
