Review: Zoë

The relationship between humans and the environment – and the former’s destruction of the latter – is increasingly depicted on stage. What is seen less often is the intricate relationship between different parts of the natural world. Shifting between symbiotic and antagonistic, three circus performers smartly capture nature's constantly changing dynamic.

One woman wears a fluffy cloud headdress. On another, there is a jaunty mushroom cap. The third has a beehive-style bird's nest, complete with egg. Presumably they represent the earth, sky and animals though these costumes do not obviously dictate their movement and there are no discernible characters. Instead, they tumble, balance and dance in an acrobatic display. They take turns supporting and climbing each other, as well as incorporating flips and brief contemporary dance sequences. Sometimes they clearly and purposefully show fatigue, which is an effective metaphor for life cycles and parasitic relationships.

However, the trio is not always well-lit. Dim light and dark shadows mean details of their movements do not visually pop as much as they could. Additionally, there is extensive use of video projection but the dominance of the moving bodies means other visuals are often ignored. A slew of white hardhats provide a good juxtaposition to the natural costumes, but they are rarely used. But while the design concept – including the use of projected and voice over text – isn’t particularly coherent, the performers’ physical skills and ensemble work are impressive.