Bianco, NoFit State’s physical theatre/circus performance, was so passionate and playful that by the end I had resolved to run away with the circus.
The performance is staged in a big top circus tent and the set, made up of scaffolds, is repositioned constantly during the show. The audience, too, is constantly moved around during the performance to get the best angle to see each act, meaning that action can be in front of you, next to you and even sometimes above you. This, combined with the spirited audience-interactive performers, impressive feats and exhilarating energy, sweeps you up in the graceful chaos of Bianco.
There is a constant buzz of excitement in the air, which rises thrillingly and falls, aided by ambient lighting and music, to allow for a variety of moods for each act: some playful, some sultry, some romantic, some chaotic and some slow and breathtakingly beautiful. Bianco is not so much the experience of a story, but of a dreamlike journey through these emotions.
The essence of this piece is thoroughly sensual; from the fantastic and versatile live band, to the visually stunning acts themselves and the all-important scent of popcorn hanging in the air. Caught up in the childlike awe I experienced watching these highly skilled performers in their acts, I felt transported to another world and revelled in the unbridled joy of it all.
A performance of particular note was that of August Dakteris and his aerial straps act. Graceful and utterly captivating, I found my heart-racing watching the fierce passion of this routine and listening to the murmurs of wonder and admiration from the audience around me. At one point, a guide ushered us forward with the encouragement, ‘Come closer, we want you to feel the sweat’, which encapsulated the lack of divide that was felt between audience and performer throughout the piece. I would highly recommend this sensually immersive, mysterious and magnificent spectacle to all ages. I didn’t want this exciting encounter to end and neither will you.
