A Simple Space

“Falling!” “Catch me!” So opens A Simple Space, as our plainly-dressed acrobats scatter, stopping, starting, falling, catching; some catches are smooth and clean, some are rushed and sketchy, some are missed. And in the chaos there is play, there is tacit choreography, setting the tone for the next hour. Aussie troupe Gravity & Other Myths, now very much a known name in international circus, have been perfecting this particular show over several years, and today, it’s never been better.

As with much contemporary Australian circus, the routines here cut to the bone of the feats, doing away with needless narrative or cluttering props, exposing the best and most exciting parts of the team’s eye-watering repertoire. From impossible holds and towering human structures, to competitions in skipping rope and backflips, GOM blend physical bravura with genuine, prankish camaraderie. And all this soundtracked by live synth-percussion and original compositions – a vivid, present take on circus musical accompaniment.

The titular "simple space" is their unadorned square of sprung floor, cornered by towers of birdy lights, manually switched on and off by the performers between routines. As well as being earnestly lo-fi and in keeping with their DIY, grassroots ethos, it’s remarkable how the slightest change in lighting can transform the mood and energy of their mini-arena. And if you’re lucky enough to be pulled on stage for the handbalancing canes routine, laid down to watch from below, that’s a brand new—and breath-stealing—perspective for this art form.

Deftly structured, with humble yet outrageously talented players, A Simple Space features some of the freshest, most entertaining circus around.