Visually spectacular and physically astounding
The set looks fantastic and is used in some clever ways. With no stairs or ladders the company jump and haul themselves to their required destinations – no mean feat considering how high it is built. The doll’s house really adds to the atmosphere of the show and it is an impressive sight on its own.
The five dolls have distinct personalities and specialities but are all impressive multi-disciplined performers. They are dazzling, moulded to the peak of physical perfection. I’ve never seen the human body move in the way that this troupe achieve.
The story unfolds subtlety between performances and it can be easy to miss as there is usually a lot going on at the same time. What it does especially well is to set up the next dance or acrobatic piece with a theme, creating a coherent thread. It all feeds in nicely together and works better than seemingly unconnected vignettes.
The show works best in the rare moments when all the performers are working together – it becomes a real sensory overload and a joy to watch. Dolls is visually spectacular and physically astounding; the fact that it melds two genres so well is its real crowning glory.
