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Edinburgh Fringe 2016


Low Down

“Masterful bodies, extraordinary emotion and incredible amazement. Join Circa’s astounding circus performers as they reveal breathtaking acrobatics and aerial spectacles up close and personal. Using the raw skill and humanity of the artists, Closer invites audiences to embark on an exhilarating journey to reveal the extremes and limitations of the human body.”

Review

A circus leviathan of the Fringe, Aussie company Circa continue to seduce audiences each year with their high impact productions – this year is no exception. An hour spent in the presence of this excellent company will be one of the most enduring memories of your Fringe experience.

Closer is a hymn to human connection- a stark, strong and serene show. The set is spartan, little more than stack of chairs, a trapeze and a rope but the performance given by the two male and two female performers is both intricate and imbued with passion. They illuminate the concept of closer by their connection with each other – the production often relies on the trust between each of them to perform the various sequences in which they move together in perfect synergy. There is also a palpable connection with the audience, the highlight of this being a set piece where several members of the audience are whirled up to dance with the performers, to delightful effect.

Eschewing the traditional glitz and spectacle synonymous with circus, Circa give us a pared down, simply lit set with the focus firmly on the world class performers. It is a powerful and at times haunting masterpiece. In their own words Circa present “circus without spectacle” and it lives up to this, bringing an entirely different circus to the Underbelly’s iconic upside down purple cow stage (the show was commissioned specifically for this space).

This is one of the most intense pieces of circus I have had the pleasure of watching – the tension in the audience was felt throughout. The opening cord lisse sequence was in perfect timing and quite breathtaking at times, and the performers sail through several more individual and group acts which leave us at the edge of our seats such is the skill and daring involved.

In typical Circa fashion the show has an impeccably chosen soundtrack – of particular note is the female performer on the straps routine set to Nouvelle Vague’s The Killing Moon and a striking solo trapeze act where the male performer uses sign language to create further impact (if that could be possible!). Each of the four performers are of the very highest calibre and it was a real privilege to see such a level of talent from the physical theatre sphere.

 

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