Right before the end of this performance of Circa's What Will Have Been performer Lauren Herley landed awkwardly on her ankle and had to take her curtain call gingerly standing on one leg before being carried off by fellow performer Robbie Curtis. Though it was a minor injury that shouldn't prevent her from finishing the show's run, it did bring the packed Spiegeltent crowd straight to their feet for an enthusiastic standing ovation.
It was an ovation all the performers deserved. Each artist — Herley and Curtis were joined by fellow acrobat Daniel O'Brien and violinist Rebecca Seymour — were given their moments to shine beginning with Herley's breathtaking display on the rope. But this wasn't just about individual feats of skill and strength. The relationships between the three acrobats in particular brought humour and warmth to the mind-boggling tumbles and contortions these athletes were able to put their bodies through.
A good acrobatics show doesn't necessarily need a narrative hook but the cheeky grins the performers would give the front row when they would land right on the edge of the performance space, or the triumphant flash of a smile they would share after a particularly difficult manoeuvre brought the audience more effectively into the show than merely dazzling us with skill would've managed.
In a festival that has plenty of acrobatic skill on display, What Will Have Been is definitely worth your time.
