@ Underbelly Circus Hub, Edinburgh, until Sat 29 Aug 2015 @ 18:25
If, for some reason, you missed Bromance, winner of the Total Theatre & Jacksons Lane Award for Best Circus at 2014’s Edinburgh Fringe, this year is your chance to correct that. The UK circus company Barely Methodical Troupe (Beren d’Amico, Louis Gift, and Charlie Wheeller) bring back their debut show as a collective. In this breath-taking, jaw-dropping mix of acrobatics, dance, physical theatre and tricking, the trio explore the role of male companionship and its limits.
Cleverly built around the theme of the male non-sexual relationship and its various manifestations – hanging out together, hitting on girls, getting into fights, or simply the importance of a good handshake – the trio introduce ideas about support, trust and personal space, with versatility that has a strong emotional affect on both sexes.
The setting is minimalistic, but the boys manage to get the most of the simplest props, and turn them to use as a rich resource for endless gags. In fact, their biggest strength is not in the masterity of acrobatics, dance and acting, but in the sense of humour they demonstrate even with the smallest gestures. The precise application of irony at the right moment is what takes the audience one step further from watching with eyes wide open and filled with awe, to going completely wild in almost hysterical laughter.
And, as we know, a good Fringe story gets even better with a nice dose of humour. It’s no wonder that after last year‘s success, the show’s venue is full again.