Earthfall: At Swim Two Boys - 28.03.12

I rolled up at the Drill Hall knowing a little about At Swim Two Boys, having heard SO many good things about it from the Drill Hall's director, Simon, and from seeing the crew set up the auditorium for the past couple of days, but still I was curious.

As the show started I must admit to having a few preconceptions about dance and physical theatre - my knowledge of both is very limited and ignorant!

However, as it progressed I began to form my own opinions about what I thought was happening - though there was no glaringly obvious storyline I still found myself in some way able to make a narrative of what I saw, and thoroughly enjoyed myself in the process.

The dancers themselves were amazing - I was breathless just watching all the moves they were pulling off! 

So as not to spoil the show for those of you who haven't seen it yet, I won't tell you the ending. But I will mention that by then my imagination was in full flow and as the lights went down I was on the edge of my seat with my fingers in my ears! 

If you see it, you will love it.

-Hilary Shepherd, Marketing Officer

(Also, you may have seen some paper boats around Lincoln and the Drill Hall made of the Earthfall flyers - that was me).

Ockham's Razor - 01.02.12

Safe to say, I was completely blown away by Ockham's Razor.

The first piece of the night was titled 'Arc', and as far as I was aware, told the story of three friends stuck on a raft in the middle of the sea. Though as we aren't lucky enough to have a sea in the Drill Hall auditorium, the performers had to make do with a grid in mid-air. Observe:

The three characters (who I'm imaginatively call green girl, pink girl and boy) were entwined in a love triangle.

The developing love between the green girl and the boy caused the pink girl so much jealousy she tried to push each of them off the raft, consequently the raft started rocking (rotating 360 degrees several times), allowing the performers to execute some fantastic acrobatics.

The second piece, 'Memento Mori', revolved around the idea of death as a dance. The pink girl  and the boy returned - he, dressed head to toe in a white body suit with hands and face painted white, acting as death. This time, the raft had been substituted for a trapeze:

In this piece, she was fighting death, and via some more amazing tricks and precarious balancing acts, death always seemed to find a way to control her, and in the end I think the audeince are to assume she lost. Sniff.

Finally, we got to 'Every Action...' (my favourite). This was funny but still as impressive. Four strangers meet in front of suspended rope, and between them hoike each other up to mid-air and try to out-do their fellow performers with ever more impressive tricks.

And just as they begin to get the hang it, they lose the end of the rope and the show tantalizingly ends with this:

After lots of applause we were treated to a question and answer with the team which proved insightful and funny.

We very much hope to see Ockham's Razor again with a brand new show in 2013.

10/10

-Hilary Shepherd, Marketing Officer

If you liked Ockham's Razor, we think you will love Retina : Layers of Skin and Earthfall.