Cheeky, clever and entertaining, Gravity & Other Myths shows circus at its most simple and effective.
Gravity & Other Myths is a circus company that focuses on stripping back on the glamour of circus, preferring to concentrate its attention on human connection and the ability of the acrobats to push their bodies to the limit in increasingly inventive ways. This leads to an entertaining hour filled with playfulness and amazing acrobatics.
Headlining this year’s Underbelly festival and set on an intimate stage that heightens the additional need for accuracy from the performers, A Simple Space is filled with awe inspiring acrobatics that increases its ambition as the show goes on. This is highlighted by the increasing inventiveness of the human towers created and the use human bodies as a skipping rope at one point.
But it is not just about the acrobatics, A Simple Space has a lively and fun atmosphere about it that keeps the audience thoroughly engaged as a particular skipping rope routine proves – leading to unexpected nudity. Each performer is given an opportunity to shine, with each sequence of acrobatics moving fluidly from one to the other – except for one moment in which a long sequence of movements gets overly complicated, looking slightly messy.
While the show is only an hour long it does begin to feel as though the show runs out of energy towards the end – despite the moment in which the audience is invited to throw colourful balls at the stage to try and knock the performers off balance. But despite this, there is still plenty to thrill and mesmerise in terms of just how far that each performer is capable of pushing their bodies and showcasing circus at its most simple but effective.
To their credit, all of the performers are all very focused and precise in their movements – making it look as simple and straightforward as a well choreographed dance. While there is a sense of competitiveness throughout, it is playfully done and the audience can see the strength of the bond between them all as well the level of trust they have given the ambitious nature of the acrobatics that they perform.
Overall, A Simple Space celebrates the best of circus in a simple, stylish and contemporary way that is thoroughly engaging to watch from beginning to end.
By Emma Clarendon
A Simple Space continues to play at the Underbelly Festival until the 5th May.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐