Take a pair of large steel pulleys suspended high above the stage, a very long rope, seven extraordinary performers, a soundscape that veers from Philip Glass-like sonority to pulsating techno rock, and you have … a circus?

The small girl in the seat beside me, her view of the stage lifted courtesy of an in-house booster cushion, stares fixedly ahead. What does she know about circuses? Does she expect elephants? A sawdust ring? Clowns with red noses? If so, she’s out of luck: One Fell Swoop ain’t that kind of circus.

This is circus that soars, bodies twirling through space, moments of sheer exuberance that melt to tenderness in the lift of an arm, the grip of a wrist, the sinuosity of rope coiled around ankle or waist.

By A Thread blurs the boundaries; it is gymnastics, ballet, acrobatics and burlesque, tumbled together in a seamless flow of movement and pure joy. These young performers are having the time of their lives, you can see it in the smiles they trade, their absolute trust in each other, the intuitive way they fill the space – no hesitations, no false moves, they flow through and around each other as smoothly as a flight of starlings.

This is supremely invitational theatre: offers are made and accepted from moment to moment. Need a ladder? Simply climb a staircase of your obliging mates’ bodies, stepping from knee to hip to spine to shoulder to head – and then soar effortlessly into space on a flick of the rope. 

Actually, this is a troupe of eight, for the rope (the ‘Thread’) is as much a character in the show as its human counterparts. In their hands it becomes a swing, a hammock, a cat’s cradle, a dream catcher, and always a lifeline, coiling and twisting, threading constantly back and forward between the great pulleys. It dances to the music. It mesmerises.

By A Thread offers many moments of great beauty and drama. A highlight is a pas de deux midway through the show, the couple suspended metres above the stage, their bodies entwining and separating within the grasp of the rope, as if it was an umbilical cord.

And moments too of hilarity: five of the company in handstands, their legs and feet waving like sea anemones, gently passing the frayed end of the rope from foot to foot down the line.

By A Thread entertains at many levels, but fundamentally it appeals to our primal urge to be free of the earth, to soar like a bird. These young Aussies do just that, effortlessly, and, oh! how we adore them for it. They are creatures of the air, and for an hour we fly with them in their element.

I steal a glance at the small girl in the next seat. She is enchanted. As we all are.

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By A Thread opens with a thick rope on pulleys simply lit on the stage. This introduces the entire set, props and in many ways, character of this show.

Quite a departure from the spectacle associated with traditional circus styles, there is no gaudy makeup or striped jumpsuits here and not a frilly knicker to be seen. Instead the actors emerge in super stretchy skinny jeans and pale coloured singlets. With this less-is-more theatrical approach there is nowhere to hide, no gimmicks or illusions only bodies, space – and a very large rope.

There is an honesty and integrity to the work, not to mention a very high level of acrobatic skill. The performers push these simple elements to the extreme with bodies up, down and through the space as well as climbing over each other like jungle gyms. The work demonstrates the extreme agility, strength and grace of the performers. A simple score enhances the work which often feels more like a contemporary dance piece than an acrobatic show. 

The narrative, too, is paired right back. The company have resisted adding storylines to the scenes; rather they let the physical work play out so the audience can find the drama in the dynamics of movement. The metaphor the rope offers for connections in a variety of human relationships is very rich and at times moving, funny and exhilarating. 

To strip the show back to such simple elements is a risk but the audience remains engaged. Even children in the audience have no difficulty to sustaining their interest for the 50 minute duration of the show. There is a strong sense of ensemble in the company relying on each other for counterbalance and safety. This lot know each other well and they have each other’s backs.

On the rare moments when the routine does not go exactly to plan it is met not by a grimace but a gentle smile and a knowing glance between performers as the show continues seamlessly.  This level of effortlessness is the product of a lot of hard work. 

This is a fresh, engagaing and thoroughly modern performance. Like all good Festival shows this is a unique opportunity. You won’t get to see anything quite like this again. 

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