Review: In A Thousand Pieces ***

It is no surprise, then, that the Carriageworks theatre in the company's home town was all but sold out for the two nights the show was staged here.

The Paper Birds create devised, physical theatre.

Some audiences are turned off by theatre that bears the label "devised" or "experimental", but as long as a piece of theatre, no matter what form it takes, can take the audience on a journey, then it

can succeed.

The journey here sees the three core members of The Paper Birds tell the story of a woman from Eastern Europe, a victim of sex trafficking.

It is a brave and confrontational piece of work, the likes of which exist as part of Britain's proud heritage of fringe theatre and when it works, it really works.

On occasion, however, it is not as eloquent as it hopes, or believes itself to be.

The three women unnecessarily begin the evening standing in the audience – the idea is to tell us that these women are not something "other" or exceptionally damaged, but live and walk among us. It is a sledgehammer approach to the message.

At the other end of the spectrum the story is sometimes too blurred

and unclear.

On the occasions when it is clear, however, this piece of theatre rings like a bell and is as disturbing as it is moving.

Carriageworks, Leeds