Circa's Beyond is just that. Beyond all expectations.

Photo by Andy Phillipson

By E.L.Hardy

McEwan Hall, even when wrapped in scaffolding, is a formidable thing of beauty. It appropriately houses 'Beyond' - a daunting and hypnotic exploration of the unknown from the internationally acclaimed Circa.

This is no ordinary circus, physical theatre or dance production. Circa's Beyond makes you question what you previously thought to be the human capacity for movement, dexterity and strength. In a landscape beyond recognition - with only Frank Sinatra for comfort - the seven performers (although that word barely does these acrobats, contortionists, dancers and human climbing frames justice) blur the lines between animal and man, logic and dreams. Broken into individual routines, the overall feel is that of finding comfort in the disconcerting. Clarity comes in the form of a rubix cube or the removal of a costume.

One chair, some furry animal heads and a piece of A4 paper was all it took for this troop to take the audience beyond: beyond flexibility, beyond gravity, beyond core strength, beyond control, beyond comedy, beyond human, beyond creatures, beyond dreams, beyond nightmares, beyond absurd, beyond my wildest imaginations and beyond any of my expectations for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

And it's only day one.

PS in short: ★★★★★. Unmissable. Totally #UNBORING

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