What a delight to hear the giggles and laughter, sometimes hysterical, of children, aged four and up in the audience throughout Heroes, a circus, acrobatics and aerial dance show about, what else, Superman and Superwoman whom our two protagonist/acrobats want to transform themselves into. This is also a charming story-line about friendship and what really makes a hero told with words as well as acrobatics.
What really makes a hero
The combined companies of All or Nothing and Room 2 Manoeuvre have certainly got the measure of what children want. This proved to be mainly the acrobats falling over repeatedly and each time greeted with hysterical laughter.
The charming story-line is of two friends, who then have a disagreement as the tall, burly male is jealous of the tiny, but strong female, dressed as Superwoman with red cloak, who is in the limelight. There is lots of hoop work on the ground and some amazing stunts by the would-be Superwoman inside, in and out of the hoop, suspended in the air from scaffolding. One piece of aerial dance using harness is not enough to satisfy the adults maybe but the children were happy enough. One child told me the bit she liked best was when the two acrobats holding onto the hoop, with the other arm outstretched, each one facing a different direction as if flying. The children’s imagination did not need real flying through the air.
Barbie dolls of the superheroes and masks of the Holywood actors come into play to help our two protagonists resolve their quarrel and decide that a real hero is a supportive friend (literally) whose heroic acts are less visible. A happy ending. Just what we all want.
