Simon Ward reviews Paper Swans at the Soho Theatre

This is the first full-length play by Vyte Garriga, a Lithuanian actress, writer and physical theatre performer. As we enter the theatre, we see a chilly parkland world populated by innumerable paper swans. Garriga is seated on a park bench in a plain white ballerina costume, folding swan after swan to add to the flock in place on the frozen lake. Arriving to thwart her plans is Daniel Chrisostomu – a uniformed official somewhere between a park keeper and a security guard. She is in the park after closing time having somehow evaded the surveillance of the guards and the CCTV cameras. So, naturally, as far as he’s concerned, she needs to leave. What is she trying to achieve with her relentless paper-folding? When will she have finished?

This essential scenario is played out in numerous iterations over the course of an hour, reaching heights of absurdity, humour and even horror. Is she an artist in conflict with the repressive forces of authority? Are we the guard – curious, intrigued, baffled? Are we, like him, seeking meaning where there is none? He knows about paper-folding – he remembers making paper boats as a child. His technique is as childish as hers is refined and sophisticated. Maybe we should simply accept the manifestation of beauty and ask no further questions. After all, as she says, ‘Why does everything have to have a reason?’

There is definitely a power struggle here. At first, the guard appears to have the upper hand, armed as he is with torch and walkie-talkie to summon assistance. But faced with stubborn intransigence, his power seems to evaporate. Is he secretly attracted to her anarchistic refusal to fall in line with normal standards of behaviour? She seems to be challenging the basis of his very idea of himself and of how society should work.

When we think of swans and ballerinas, Tchaikovsky can’t be far away, and, indeed, among the many acts of resistance is a Swan-Lake style moment of balletic grace. Maybe ballet is another form of art which exists for its own sake. Yet Garriga does not shy away from the rigours that ballet performers go through for their art – before long there is blood on her ballet shoes. Indeed, as the power struggle evolves, blood is spilled more than once. But, as in a dream, the bloodshed is never fatal. There is always time to regroup and re-join the battle. Eventually, even the ballerina and guard realise that they are just endlessly repeating the same scenes. Perhaps that breaks the spell – no longer enchanted but still intrigued there is a touching rapprochement as the guard appears to put himself in the position of supplicant.

Paper Swans is running at the Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE until Saturday 3rd May (excluding Thursday 1st).