Love is a powerful motivator for many things and in a relationship, it is very easy to use love as a justification to do many ethically ambiguous things. The team behind Mouth Inside the Mouth is somewhat bold and provocative with the way they unpack and discuss the topic in the show. The story itself is a relatable and familiar one; A relationship between two people who start to lose love for each other. Whilst that may sound uneventful it is far from it. Performed by Keir Aitken and Lily Kuenzler, the drama of this particular performance comes from the way the blossoming relationship deteriorates and how the characters react to the situation as it unfolds, and react as they do. Predominantly a puppetry and physical theatre show, Mouth Inside the Mouth isn’t shy with showing some of the more unpleasant parts of a relationship which includes some unfiltered tragedy. Forthright, emotive and occasionally a little graphic, the performance includes a live folk-punk soundtrack with the music written and performed by musician Tommy Says. Occasionally a little melancholy, the music did give the performance a degree of otherworldly reality that would not have existed without its inclusion. Being a predominantly non-spoken show, the music did assist with the narrative occasionally. The puppets themselves were of cloth and hosiery design, adorned with bone, wire and eggs then attached to the bodies of the performers themselves with detachable bands. Along with masks, the puppets were at times haunting. It gave the handlers a great freedom of movement to tell the story and interact with a rolling cloth banner, a vital tool that often kept the story progressing but also provided a reference to the state of the protagonist’s relationship. It allowed for a rather novel audience participation moment where the audience was asked to rise and join in for a hymn as the lyrics were unfurled. Such a curious play, the new, self-devised work was fascinating to watch. It was quite a wild journey at times and did honestly give a lot for the audience to reflect on. Ultimately this show proposed the question, how far would you go for love, however, you have to wonder if the depth and effort of the dedication to your significant other is actually worth it for the pain and suffering it can cause. This show might be an ingenious way to assist a person to answer that question for themselves, or enjoy getting lost in someone else looking at the same question.