Review: A SIMPLE PLACE at Kinneksbond

Well that was just fantastic. We have covered quite a few shows in Luxembourg since we started back in June, all of them presented by performers with great talent and unquestionable dedication. Perhaps the nostalgia of knowing that this is the last show we will be reviewing in 2018 is weighing in this statement, but when I walked out of the Kinneksbond two days ago, I truly felt like they had saved the best for last. On the 20th of December, our lovely venue hosted A Simple Space, a show by the renowned circus company Gravity and Other Myths.

Although classified as circus, the GOM does not work under the traditional definition of the term. The emphasis of the company seems to be acrobatics, with a refreshing take on physical theatre and audience interaction. There are no clowns, animals or flamboyant outfits, only artists taking their bodies to the limits of strength, space and speed, while performing mere meters away from the audience. It seems that, in most performances, the company prefers to do without the stage, and be as close as it can to those it is acting for.

If you are comfortable with being close to fast paced acrobatics, and do not mind watching a quick game of strip-jumping rope, then sit back and enjoy. The show was composed by five men and two women, who started the night with a simple exercise of physical trust. Once you decide to fall, shout "falling" and have faith that one of your partners will be there to catch you. The speed at which the company performed this exercise was impressive, making you understand from the very start that you were not dealing with seven loose members who cooperate, but rather with one single body that just happens to be composed by multiple people.

This does not mean, however, that many of these artists did not have a moment to shine individually. As sometimes observed in this type of show, the two performers with the thinnest built ended up being the most impressive of the group, since many of their acts were either at the top of complex human pyramids, or made possible due to their greater lightness and flexibility. One of the young ladies was so incredibly graceful in the number where she placed her colleagues and members of the audience on the floor, in a circle around her, that it sometimes felt like she had no bones left in her body. The apparent weightlessness that both she and her colleague exhibited was perhaps most noticeable when the pair continuously changed positions on top of one of the base performers, who supported them for minutes, both while laying on the ground and through the process of getting up.

But bases also had terrific individual moments, such as the solving of a Rubik's Cube while standing upside down, or the backflip competition between the men of the ensemble. And if all of this was not enough, closer to the end of the show the musician of the group, who had been discreetly performing on the background, suddenly got in the middle of the space and delighted everyone with an incredible moment of body percussion, while interacting with the public.

The absolute best thing about this evening, however, was the dynamic between the artists and the atmosphere they created with the audience. At the risk of sounding a bit "new-age," there was such a positive energy flowing between all members, that you could not help but feeling happy just by witnessing their chemistry. We are so used to seeing fiction on stage, be it theatrical, operatic or even through dance, that our brains are wired to expect some degree of acting or some form of narrative. This however, was not about expressing the personality a few characters, but rather embodying an energy of human connection. Or at least that is what it felt like to us sitting there. We insist on this point, especially because it was not only visible while someone was performing a number, but also during the moments when the artists were waiting for their turn to act. From a simple pat on the back after a rough number, while already resting in an unlit corner; to smiling to each other when the audience is distracted with something else - this is the kind of attitude that creates and perpetuates solid groups and we could not have been happier to see it expressed so honestly in this company.

We were glad to learn that the group performs all over the world, so stop by their website and see when they will be coming to a town near you. They are known for engaging with the public and with local artistic communities so don't miss the opportunity to see this amazing ensemble.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Image credit: Gravity and Other Myths - Official Website

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