Theatre Review: Civilisation, Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61), Edinburgh

"Don't go wasting your emotion," sings Abba, as a blank faced woman dries her hair, gets dressed and goes to what we gradually realise is a funeral.

***

***

Slowly, and I mean slowly, what has happened kind of becomes clear, as she carries out other routines: putting out flowers, meeting a friend who could be more than a friend, watching Dragons' Den and packing up clothes.

Meanwhile, three dancers move around her, heightened and disconnected from the woman's mundane activities, seemingly at odds with her, or at least the version of herself she's presenting.

It's a piece that feels like it's building up to something that never really materialises, and while we gradually learn slightly more about this engaging yet elusive woman by the end than we did at the start, it feels insufficiently satisfying for the amount of time it's taken us to get here, despite the piece having a strangely absorbing quality gained through its combination of movement and stillness.

Until 25 August

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