Traces – Theatre Royal, Brighton

Creators:Les Doigts de la Main

Directors: Shana Carroll & Gypsy Snider

Reviewer: Elizabeth Vile

The Public Reviews Rating:

Flying Entertainment in association with Theatrical Management Group’s production of Traces was a highly enjoyable, energetic show full of circus skills, acrobatics, dance and striking visual effects. The pace of the piece changed constantly and the combination of live and recorded music, as well as the use of projections and video footage kept the audience entertained from start to finish.

The company was made up of five artists, three men and a woman who did a mixture of solo and group circus acts. Their enthusiasm and enjoyment for each other’s acts contrasted with their concentration and professionalism during their own. This, coupled with the technical aspects really helped to heighten the tension and excitement of the audience.

The highlights for me had to be the finale of Act 1 and the finale of Act 2. I won’t spoil the surprise but the audible gasps that came from the audience. The standing ovation given by some audience members during the curtain call visibly demonstrated the effect the show had on a theatre going public that ranged from primary school children right up to the grand parents that accompanied them. I also enjoyed the sections that involved basketballs, skateboards, a large metal hoop and giant poles.

The one area of the show that dimmed my enjoyment slightly was the connecting pieces that joined the individual acts together. These pieces gave the cast a chance to connect with audience by sharing snippets of their life. The audience were shown baby photos, found out about each performer’s character traits and about specific events in their lives. Although this was interesting I found it difficult to make these insights connect with the acrobatic acts that surrounded them and I could not understand what the company wanted to achieve with these sections.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, the skill and expertise of the cast could not be faulted and the choreography throughout was executed with precision and energy. I would recommend this show to anyone of any age who has an interest in circus, dance, comedy and acrobatics.