Oper Opis

Ever thought you had finally got your life sorted – only to find the ground ­sliding away from under your feet? Then this show, which opens the ­London International Mime festival, is for you. Set on a precariously tilting stage and played out to a glorious scratched soundtrack, this work by the Zimmermann & De Perrot company is an inventive folly, a startling mix of theatre and circus that charts the ­shifting relationships of a group of ­people constantly forced to adapt and evolve to negotiate the ground shifting beneath their feet. But the instability is not just on the ground but in the human form itself. A contortionist scuttles across the slope, part human, part crab, part hobgoblin; and, in another witty scenario, human bodies pass convincingly for the equipment in a smart gym. In one extraordinary sequence, a woman is tossed through the air and appears to turn into a chair before your eyes. The mix of skill, sleight of hand and sleight of eye is irresistible, and the piece has a gleeful magpie tendency – thieving from absurdism, popular cartoons, surrealism and modern dance. While it's a hugely enjoyable 70 minutes, it lacks real warmth, and though the risk-taking is ­evident in every challenging ­circus feat, the show fails to fully develop the idea of taking risks as a theme. The performers are physically distinctive, and much is made of their differences – tall and tiny, curvy and rigid – but their interaction is under-played. Still, I was open-mouthed in admiration. Here's another company proving how far ­circus has come, and how far it may yet go.