It’s that time again when Underbelly Festival takes over the Southbank with a dazzling programme of live circus, cabaret, comedy and music. Underbelly always presents best circus talent from around the world, but this season’s debut show was truly spectacular and memorable.
A Simple Space by leading Australian company Gravity & Other Myths (GOM) has won a number of awards and has been performed more than 600 times across 30 countries. Formed in Adelaide in 2009, GOM is renowned for its honest, unpretentious shows that favour acrobatic excellence over high concept.
For this special Underbelly run, the stage set was minimal with just four spotlights that were switched on and off throughout and the performers were dressed casually in natural colours. The show began with the group continually shouting ‘falling’, then tumbling and leaping off each other energetically – a truly captivating introduction.
GOM’s work has a real playfulness and there were plenty of japes and dares, like seeing who could hold their breath the longest, making animal balloons behind their backs and a ‘strip skipping’ competition where Benton Adam-Walker ended up losing all of his clothes (yes, it did get a little racy).
The chemistry between the seven performers was palpable as they climbed and stood on each other’s bodies, formed vertiginous pyramids, held impossible contortion poses and walked on each other’s heads.
Annalise Moore’s acrobatics had everyone’s jaws on the floor in amazement as she somersaulted through the air, balanced upside down and was literally thrown across the stage and caught by the guys in unison with talented flyer Ashleigh Pearce.
In between the high-octane routines were fun moments like when André Augustus solved a Rubik’s cube while standing on his head and the stage became a colourful ball pit with the audience pelting the performers as they posed.
But what really took the show to the next level was the atmospheric electronic soundtrack performed with live drums and programming by Alex Flood. He also had his own solo moment beat boxing and tapping his chest rhythmically until it went red and raw.
The finale was epic with some incredible, high-speed acrobatics and I just didn’t want it to ever end. I really connected with GOM and loved the joyful, confident and stripped back vibe of A Simple Space. It’s definitely one that you won’t want to miss!
Underbelly has a wonderful carnival atmosphere and is bigger and better than ever with its fabulous pop-up spiegeltent, plus drinks and tempting street food from the likes of Nanny Bill’s and Hola Guacamole. The shows are short and sweet at just 60-minutes and most are under £20, making it an affordable night out by the Thames. I can’t wait to see more throughout the summer.
A Simple Space runs at Underbelly Festival until 5th May. For more information and booking, visit: www.underbellyfestival.com
Chérie City was a guest of Underbelly Festival
Photo (c) The Other Richard
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