@ Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh, until Sun 30 August 2015 @ 18:00
Replacing the time slot originally taken by Jerk, who had to cancel, The Ricochet Project from New Mexico has nicely stepped up to the mark.
A human circus of two, performers Cohdi Harrell and Laura Stokes, interweave a Charlotte’s web of high-flying moves with grace and physicality. Jaw-dropping acrobatics defy what is normally humanly possible, with costumes stripped back to near nakedness.
Calculating the stocks of our emotional economy, Smoke and Mirrors weaves acrobatic exploitations and high-flying distortions to examine the contorted state of America in the pursuit of happiness. In a minimalist environment of a trapeze, a rope, two chairs and a light, it delivers an honest and fresh acrobatic perspective on the themes of isolation, oppression, yearning and hope.
The strobe lighting in the third piece may be distracting and challenging for some audience members, but combined with the crazed look of the performers, articulates the frenetic pace of life.
Founded in 2007 in Sante Fe, New Mexico, this is Ricochet’s first time in Edinburgh. A cutting edge performance of beauty, strength and precision, the performers transcend the exquisiteness of contemporary dance combined with physical theatre. Original and beautiful, this performance wouldn’t look out of place on the Edinburgh International Festival’s dance programme.