Theatre company Ontroerend Goed have been creating interactive theatre for over 20 years, but Handle With Care takes things to a whole new level. The only object in the sparse studio space is a white box. No curtain rises, no lights go down, and no actors tread the boards. The show begins as soon as someone opens the box; its contents guide the audience, providing tools, suggestions and activities, but it is the crowd who truly drive the show. As the very first instruction says, ‘you cannot do anything wrong’. The creative freedom promised by the box is exciting, but it isn't until the halfway point, marked by the fantastically fun ‘six minute chaos’, that we are given any idea of what this show will look like.
Handle With Care is, in essence, a team-building exercise. There are some great prompts packed inside the box, perfectly designed to gently nudge you out of your comfort zone and bring you closer to your little group of strangers. Every audience member is guaranteed to leave feeling more confident and connected, but if feels as though Handle With Care would have benefitted from more than just six minutes of chaos. 

Handle With Care, Zoo Southside, until 30 August, 1.30pm; picture: Joelle Desmet.