Fires Our Shoes Have Made exceeds any description that could be written for it. It is sentimental yet exciting, sad yet loving — it is a feat of storytelling that has audiences hooked from the first word to the last. Accompanied by an incredible soundtrack, Fires Our Shoes Have Made is an incredible adventure that pits against each other the innocent world of a child and the harsh reality we find ourselves in.
Thirteen-year-old Jay (Joe Matthews) runs away with his younger sister (Lucy Chamberlain) from their father’s (Luke Mott) home after their mother (Mollie Tucker) passes away. Armed with a kitchen knife, the duo enchants the streets of London into a magical fantasy like the stories their mother used to tell them. They quickly run into trouble as they encounter local thug Crow (Mott) and find themselves wholly on their own.
Tucker also wrote and sings the songs for the show, occasionally with Chamberlain. Likewise, Mott also plays the role of sound artist. There’s never a dull moment as the quartet masterfully transition from scene to scene, interspersing gorgeous minimal background music alongside poignant acoustic ballads. While Matthews and Chamberlain carry the weight of the narrative, Mott and Tucker support them by taking on smaller roles within the story. All four are incredible actors, balancing tension and serenity with nothing but their words.
What makes the show feel so strong is that the cast truly utilizes every resource available to them; the stage, the team, the lighting. It feels like what every Fringe show strives to be: a unique and beautiful passion project. Pound of Flesh Theatre has truly created a work of art in Fires Our Shoes Have Made that raises the bar for gig-theatre in the years to come.
Fires Our Shoes Have Made
Run ended
Image: Pound of Flesh Theatre