Review (Georgia Haupt): The Return

Review and photography by Georgia Haupt

The Return transcends performance to become pure transformation. From the moment you step through the portal into this colourful utopia, you’re no longer simply watching a show – you’re entering another world entirely.

Beetle Miyela has orchestrated a 70-minute hypnotic journey that harnesses the collaborative power of space, sound, and movement with stunning effect. Performed at The Paint Factory’s open-roof section, the cool August breeze carries melodic sounds across the audience, while the pure scale of the staging builds the work’s natural grandeur.

This is interdisciplinary collaboration at its finest. From the Butoh-inspired movement to the set, costume, lighting, and sound design – the audience is transcended.

The sustainable spatial art installations, including the ethereal Faery Portals, establish an otherworldly atmosphere that never breaks. Every element – from physical theatre to lighting design – works in perfect harmony to create something genuinely transcendent.

The Return reminds us why live performance matters: it has the power to transport us completely, body and soul.