A short, muscular brown skinned woman hangs onto a thick rope with both hands, suspended in the air. The rope is held taut under her left foot and up behind her right knee. She wears a short sleeved grey shirt and tight red trousers. She wears her long, thick, dark hair half up half down.

The Show

Part circus, part serenade, part cinema, Human is about the small moments that shape us. On a stage set with a trapeze, circus rope and set of drums, four performers start to tell stories from their lives, from their childhoods, from the last 24 months. They talk about uncertainty, about times of big decisions and about getting through things together. The character of ‘Circus’ interrupts them: Graziella has fallen on hard times. Her poetry weaves through the show, becoming part of the storytelling, and her bravery speaks to us all.

Human features live original music, soulful drumming, rope and trapeze performance. Dance and film footage (with integrated BSL interpretation and captioning) is drawn from the performers’ actual lives. The live and recorded sound are played through silent disco headphones, creating an intimate relationship between performers and audience.

All performances are relaxed, BSL-interpreted, captioned and audio described.

Details

  • Show duration: 1 hour 10 minutes (approximate).
  • Age recommendation: All ages, although not a ‘family show’.
  • Access: click here.
GIF: Black illustration of a young man and wheelchair user playing the drums.

GIF by Holly O’Neil. Photo at the top of this page © Alexa Ledecky.