This week we’re looking back at TARO, written and directed by Ross McGregor and produced by Arrows & Traps Theatre in January 2019. This was one of our favourite productions from this Offie-nominated team!

TARO was one of two plays performed in rep by Arrows & Traps.  Both focused on the lives of two remarkable women. Gentleman Jack, brought us the life of Anne Lister, and TARO told the story of photographer Gerda Taro.

TARO

Paris, 1935. Gerda Taro a young German refugee, meets Endre Friedmann, a young Hungarian in exile. Both are artists, Jews and nonconformists. Drawn to each other by a shared fervour for photography, they create a persona in order to better sell their work – and so the legendary Robert Capa is born.

But alongside their love of art, abides a fierce dedication to justice. Putting everything at risk, they travel to Spain to document the brutal turmoil of the Civil War. Here, in the midst of the peril and chaos, a romance for the ages is born.

The company have produced a retrospective of this work, which can you see here.

Arrows & Traps have also released their video of TARO, filmed during one of their performances at the Jack.

If you missed it first time round, or would like to watch it again, you can view the production now.

Press for TARO

McGregor tells the story with a typically remarkable precision in this fast paced and kaleidoscope production. He is aided by his Arrows and Traps’ company who put in a remarkable ensemble performance. It seems invidious to highlight individual performances but Cornelia Baumann and Tom Hartill put in electrifying work at the heart of the piece. I urge you to see it. ★★★★★ London Pub Theatres

Ross McGregor’s spellbinding biopic is visceral, delectable, and true… Taro joins physical theatre legends Gecko and Frantic Assembly in its ability to thrill and engage its audience. Packed with sentimentality and warmth, Gerda Taro’s legacy is one to be remembered for generations to come. ★★★★★ The Upcoming

Arrows & Traps’ Taro is visually and emotionally stunning… Just sublime. ★★★★★ Fairy Powered Productions

A visually stunning portrait of the life of a brave and endearing woman… There are moments in the performance which are simply beautiful. There is strong use of light to capture image, a tremendously clever visualisation in a play about a photographer, and the choreography of the actors is enough reason, on its own, to purchase a ticket to this show. ★★★★ Everything Theatre

 

The Future

Like many companies all their future work has been cancelled, including their recent tours, where they were taking two shows premiered at the Jack across the country. If you are able to support this company in these uncertain times, please do so by clicking here

You can also find out more about Arrows & Traps Theatre by visiting their website.