If you’re up for a darkly poetic, fiercely physical hour of theatre that mixes absurdism, symbolism, and folk music in one unforgettable loop, Paper Swans might just be your perfect pick. Presented by Flabbergast Theatre, this striking new piece runs at Soho Theatre Upstairs from Monday 28 April to Saturday 3 May (no show on Thursday 1st). Here’s why it deserves a spot in your diary:
1. A Chilling Tale Set in a Night Park
A security guard encounters a mysterious woman in a ballet dress making paper swans on a bench. Their strange meeting resets… again and again. Each cycle shifts slightly, edging forward in subtle but unsettling ways. Think Groundhog Day meets Waiting for Godot, with more tension and paper swans.
2. A Visual and Physical Feast
This is not your standard script-led show. Flabbergast Theatre are known for their visual storytelling, and here the performances are intensely physical, emotionally raw, and “balletic” in execution. Vyte Garriga and Daniel Chrisostomou move like they’re haunted by something just off-stage – and maybe they are.
3. A Folk Score by Nick Hart
Folk musician Nick Hart adds an original score that weaves together English and Lithuanian traditions, enriching the eerie, folkloric atmosphere. The music helps ground the audience in something real, even as the characters float in something abstract.
4. Absurdism That Actually Lands
Influenced by Theatre of the Absurd and shaped by Vyte Garriga’s experience of growing up in the Soviet Union, Paper Swans doesn’t hand you a neat conclusion. Instead, it invites you to interpret the cycle of encounters in your own way. No two audience members will walk away with quite the same understanding – and that’s the point.
5. Only 60 Minutes – and a Critical Hit in Edinburgh
The show runs a tight 60 minutes, making it an easy add to your evening – and it’s already earned glowing praise from critics at Edinburgh 2024. “A gut punch to the senses,” said Lothian Life, while Bouquets and Brickbats called it “gloriously done… every moment is intense.”
Tickets are available now from just £15 via the Soho Theatre website. Press night is Tuesday 29 April at 6.45pm – and if you’re looking for something dark, strange, and beautifully executed, Paper Swans is a haunting little gem worth catching before it disappears.