Review: BOYS, VAULT Festival

This show's creation has been a long time in the making. After lots of time spent researching and refining Kane Husbands' company The Pappy Show have developed a production that puts the individuality of humanity at the forefront. BOYS isn't a story per say, but an anecdotal revelation into the lives of a selection of young men.

What does it look like to be strong? How do you share emotion? Told through a mixture of dance, movement and text, similarities are championed and differences are celebrated. This piece celebrates manhood; yet also investigates the word's complex meaning, commenting that being a 'man' isn't one specific construct.

These boys are tender, strong, funny, vulnerable, charming and so much more. The entire company demonstrate a clear love for being on stage, and their magnetic energy transcends across the entire space. It's a brilliant showcase of talent, as the production requires a high level of ability, stamina and trust from all involved.

Vignette-like in its composition, the piece lacks a narrative through line, however I'm not sure it requires one. It doesn't feel like that type of show; instead, what you see is a living and breathing workshop on stage. Because of this, it feels alive; anything could potentially happen and the company are constantly discovering, never for one moment letting the ball drop.

This may make it seem like it's a free for all, but in reality it's the complete opposite. It's slickly choreographed and you can tell that so much thought has gone into its composition. However, Husbands' direction has allowed there to be a lot of room for the actors to play. He places a lot of trust in their ability to explore, and it pays off.

Tonight's performance was sold out, and the rest of the run will probably follow suit. I'd encourage you all to buy your tickets soon, in order to avoid disappointment.

BOYS at the VAULT Festival until 11 February

Photo credit: The Pappy Show

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