Precarious is a young, Bristol-based company which seamlessly combines physical theatre and contemporary dance with modern technology. Its performances at the Fringe over the last two years have been extremely well received by both critics and audiences and the company is becoming well-known nationally.Anomie takes us briefly into the lives of six people living in an anonymous apartment building; their eating, sleeping and coupling, but primarily their isolation. Ultimately, although living in close proximity, they know little of each others lives and perhaps care less. The result is a disturbing blend of bleakness and desperation.The large stage at Zoo Southside is used well. There are six single mattresses, one for each performer, representing, among other things, each apartment. But these are not stationary props; they are moveable, fluid things that can cause the scene to change in an instant. Integral to the performance are six large plasma screens. Sometimes they show images of bleak buildings and landscapes and at other times they display endless moving streams of digital numbers. Their most exciting use, however, is the seamless blending of live action and video, where the performers on stage each merge with their own digital performances on screen.The production is extremely clever and thought-provoking, with excellent choreography and sound. I did, however, feel that the performers could have been given more opportunity to demonstrate their individual skills.
