PERFORMANCE REVIEW: Hang On

Hang On - Ockham's Razor and Theatre-Rites
York Theatre Royal then Lyric Hammersmith

Aerial company Ockham’s Razor base their work on the principle devised by the medieval philosopher William Ockham: that when faced with two theories, you should always go with the simpler option producing work that is both cogent, and easily grasped. This is brilliantly demonstrated in Hang On, their collaboration with Theatre-Rites, an innovative and mesmerizing family show about the precariousness of relationships and the balancing act of everyday life.

The three members of Ockham’s Razor clamber in and around the metal triangular mobile suspended from the roof, while the three other performers - a juggler, an instrumentalist and an actor - keeping their feet firmly on the ground attempting to join and interact with the dazzling, fearless trio. And that is the essential basis of the show. Yes, there’s a lot of symbolic exploration of relationships (paralleling friendships, playground, work) but basically its six people doing very clever things with bits of metal and little red juggling balls. And it works.

The undoubted strength of the show is its lack of dialogue. Five of the characters interact solely through gesture, a very moving and effective approach to exploring the balance of everyday life which director Sue Buckmaster should be applauded for. The only character who regularly speaks is the nervous, safety conscious Eric (Eric Maclennan, the improviser). He, although providing mild comic relief, is a character for the adults, his patter about isosceles triangles flies straight over the heads of most children in the theatre.

It is intrusive when the three aerial artists finally speak at the play's end. Having performed their beautiful contortions in expressive and moving silences, their few unnecessary words are intrusive and break the spell that holds the audience for the entirety of the hour long show. The show could have been performed in total silence. The accompanying percussive soundtrack, a mixture of recorded and live music, and the subtle lighting design by Michael Mannion is enough to help convey the nuances of meaning.

Hang On is designed as a family show, but the engaging simplicity is equally enthralling for adults. As Ailsa Ilott points out in her article below, to hold the attention of young children for any length of time, shows and performers need to be innovative. However, the lack of a strong plot does mean that at times your attention wanders and you become strangely blasé about three people climbing and swinging to their potential deaths before you. But the innocence of the show is refreshing, an antidote to the complex plots and deep symbolism of other plays.

Jane Williamson