Starting with a single spotlight shining down like a streetlamp on a romantic Parisian street we see a man and a woman slowly dance in an intimate embrace. N.Ormes draws you into the story of a relationship which is passionate, sensual, and dysfunctional but told entirely through movement and acrobatics.
N.Orms feels like something out of a dream
With this spectacular Fringe debut, Montréal-based circus duo Agathe Bisserier and Adrien Malette-Chenier have created a provocative piece of physical theatre which challenges the gender norms of hand-to-hand acrobatics. We see the dynamism between the two performers as they throw each other around the stage with wild abandon. It’s rare enough to see women lift men in circus and it’s usually framed as a showstopper moment, yet N.Ormes sees Malette-Chenier hoisted into the air by the much smaller Bisserier as frequently as we see the reverse and she manages to make it look just as effortless.
There’s also humour in the physicality of this piece. Both performers have solo moments where they quite literally get to flex their comic muscles. Malette-Chenier is a natural physical comedian and Bisserier, with her frantic acrobatics, speaks volumes on emotional frustration without saying a word.
In a Fringe where you can see Yuck Circus showing that woman can be more than just pretty props and the all-female cast of Brave Space celebrating the strength of women in circus, N.Ormes holds its own. As well as the smashing of preconceptions on gender and relationships, it is also a fantastic piece of circus. There are some amazing stunts in the acrobatics; the solo and duo routines are tightly choreographed and a delight to watch.
N.Orms feels like something out of a dream. This is enhanced by the dynamic and dramatic lighting design by Claire Seyller and an entrancing score by Simon Leoza. This show is not to be missed.
