In a big top tent, ten performers, upon a brilliant white, circular stage, perform a series of ever more amazing acts of acrobalance, tumbling, throws, and aerial skills. Costuming is simple: at first the cast are clad in lycra shorts and cropped tops before transitioning to sweaters and pants, before finally appearing in sheer body stockings which accentuate the vulnerability and yet the strength of the performers.
The physicality of the cast is phenomenal. They throw each other around the stage with what seems like reckless abandon but there’s a sense of an easy trust between them. It’s also beautiful to see that this acrobalance show has no gender imbalance. We see men being lifted by women, women showing amazing feats of strength, and all of the cast being vulnerable and delicate. The choreography is incredibly tight, the action is non-stop, and the score by Ori Lichtik perfectly accompanies the action. At one point the cast break into a frenetic dance which seems to infect the whole performance with a frantic energy. A straps routine feels like it could be an entire contemporary dance piece in its own right and the few moments of quiet only serve to counterpoint the breathless energy of the performance. There are also some brilliant moments of perfectly timed playful slapstick comedy in amongst the spectacle.
In their previous show, Humans, Circa set out to push the physical limits of what a person is capable of. 2.0 is a leap forward where Circa seems determined to push the limits of contemporary circus close to that line where it crosses over into dance. Undoubtedly, Humans 2.0 is contemporary circus at its finest. It’s poetic, entrancing, beautiful, and exhilarating. It is simply a triumph.
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