Buy cheap tickets for Boozr
Ten Thousand Hours

There’s a much-touted theory that practising any skill for 10,000 hours is sufficient to become an expert. The theory has been widely debunked, but people love a simple premise, so the saying persists. In this show by Australian company Gravity & Other Myths, the cast of eight performers and one musician display that, no matter how long it takes, to be truly skilled at anything is going to take some time.

A performance that’s as playful as it is professional

Gravity and Other Myths is famous for blending acrobatics, gymnastics, and dance into exceptional displays of human ability. In this show, we are presented with a performance that’s as playful as it is professional. Feeling at times more like an insight into the practice room where a group of acrobats fool around, Ten Thousand Hours presents a stunning series of acrobatic skill where the cast tumble, flip, clamber over each other, and fly through the air with almost superhuman skill. Standing on each other’s shoulders three people high, they drop and roll into dynamic poses as others somersault and backflip across the stage.

Highlights include a warmup reinterpreted as contemporary dance based off audience suggestions, improv style. I never expected to see a skilled acrobat perfectly portray a dishwasher doing a stretching exercise, but I’m delighted I did. A sequence follows that starts with flipping a water bottle and quickly ramps up to flipping humans in the same way. A game of acrobatic Pictionary needs to be seen to be truly understood and a lovely moment where two of the cast are allocated ten attempts at a trick shows that failure is an important part of the process on the road to perfection. All of this is performed with cheeky enthusiasm and plenty of smiles from the cast with lots of eye contact directed at the audience that makes us feel as if we’re a part of the fun.

Throughout the show, the cast perform in front of a huge clock that rapidly counts down from ten thousand before counting successes and failures, marking time in routines, and creating abstract shapes that complement the onstage physicality. It’s a fantastic bit of lighting design – simple yet effective. The music, some of which is performed live on stage by a musician sat at a complex drumkit and series of pedals and mixers perfectly complements the frantic explosion of acrobatics onstage.

Who knows how long each of this talented cast have practised to reach the impressive level of skill portrayed on stage. It could be 10,000 hours; it could be more or less. All I know is that Ten Thousand Hours shows that it’s possible to make gravity seem like it’s optional - with enough practise.

Visit Show Website

Reviews by Frodo Allan

Bedlam Theatre

A Girl Gets Naked In This

★★★★
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila

Weaving Me, Weaving Mum

★★★
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila

Baby Rock

★★★★
Summerhall

Piskie

★★★★
Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows

Tweedy's Massive Circus

★★★★★
Assembly Roxy

NoVa

★★★★★

Since you’re here…

… we have a small favour to ask. We don't want your money to support a hack's bar bill at Abattoir, but if you have a pound or two spare, we really encourage you to support a good cause. If this review has either helped you discover a gem or avoid a turkey, consider doing some good that will really make a difference.

You can donate to the charity of your choice, but if you're looking for inspiration, there are three charities we really like.

Mama Biashara
Kate Copstick’s charity, Mama Biashara, works with the poorest and most marginalised people in Kenya. They give grants to set up small, sustainable businesses that bring financial independence and security. That five quid you spend on a large glass of House White? They can save someone’s life with that. And the money for a pair of Air Jordans? Will take four women and their fifteen children away from a man who is raping them and into a new life with a moneymaking business for Mum and happiness for the kids.
Donate to Mama Biashara now

Theatre MAD
The Make A Difference Trust fights HIV & AIDS one stage at a time. Their UK and International grant-making strategy is based on five criteria that raise awareness, educate, and provide care and support for the most vulnerable in society. A host of fundraising events, including Bucket Collections, Late Night Cabarets, West End Eurovision, West End Bares and A West End Christmas continue to raise funds for projects both in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Donate to Theatre MAD now

Acting For Others
Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities. During the COVID-19 crisis Acting for Others have raised over £1.7m to support theatre workers affected by the pandemic.
Donate to Acting For Others now

Performances

Location

The Blurb

Following the hit sell-out sensations Macro and The Pulse at the Edinburgh International Festival, and Fringe-favourite smash-hit A Simple Space, Gravity & Other Myths return with their critically acclaimed, brand-new show Ten Thousand Hours. This is an ode to the countless hours needed to achieve great things. Eight acrobats investigate physical skill: how we obtain it, how we perfect it and how it can transform our lives. This family-friendly acrobatic extravaganza is filled with everything you love about Gravity & Other Myths and a tribute to the dedication required to become a world-class acrobat.
Buy cheap West End theatre tickets
Buy cheap tickets for Boozr

Most Popular See More

Buy cheap tickets for Stranger Things : The First Shadow
Stranger Things : The First Shadow

From £37.00

More Info

Find Tickets

Buy cheap tickets for TINA: The Tina Turner Musical
TINA: The Tina Turner Musical

From £13.00

More Info

Find Tickets

Buy cheap tickets for Les Miserables
Les Miserables

From £31.00

More Info

Find Tickets

Buy cheap tickets for Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

From £23.00

More Info

Find Tickets

Buy cheap tickets for Starlight Express
Starlight Express

From £36.00

More Info

Find Tickets

Buy cheap tickets for The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon

From £34.00

More Info

Find Tickets

Buy cheap tickets for The Producers
Buy cheap tickets for Born With Teeth
Buy cheap tickets for Sabrage
Buy cheap tickets for Starlight Express
Buy cheap tickets for Evita
Buy cheap tickets for Into The Woods
Buy cheap tickets for Spies
Buy cheap tickets for Barmy Britain
Buy cheap tickets for The King of Pangea
Buy cheap tickets for Stiletto