Adelaide Fringe 2015
Left
Long Answers to Simple Questions
Genre: Circus
Venue: Lotus Place, Gluttony
Festival: Adelaide Fringe
Low Down
There’s something community-like in the world of circus and physical theatre, and Left creator, Tom Davis knows this! So seeking to combine a eloquent storyline within an acrobatics show is not that uncommon, given that the basis of executing any circus trick is risky and relies on trust and support: much like living and being part of any community.
Review
Left showcases the talent of seven clever and witty acrobats from Melbourne. There is a great comradery among the group and the audience can’t help but to feel part of their team. What grips you is their passion, dedication, spirit and skill. All of the cast performed exceptionally well and this was evident in the recent performance I attended.
There are however aspects of the performance that can be improved. The venue offers very little to the imagination, it’s quite a bare set with the odd prop used sporadically. Much can be said for the actors’ “costumes”, performing in an unusual mix of casual clothes or gym clothes that they would more than likely train in. This is where the show becomes unstuck. While their enthusiasm is high, there is little in the way of set, lights, sound or costume that unify the group and the show as a whole. Even something as simple as all choosing to wear black or white would have given the show the sense of professionalism it deserves and would help to draw a closer attention to their tricks.
The little attention to set, tech and costume give the sense that we are privy to a training day or a rehearsal, so when tricks fail, and this was quite frequent, the cast did little to recover, make a spectacle of it or reengage the audience.
What we do like is child-like play, the inserts of fun ‘drama’ games that are a great addition to any classroom, party or picnic and understanding that communities, like circus troupes, can fall apart when someone suddenly leaves.
If you have young children and are looking for a good show to take them to, then Left certainly delivers.
