As a long-time fervent reader of the works of Thomas Hardy, I was very intrigued to hear about Ockham’s Razor and their circus version of Tess (of the D’Urbervilles).
Combining dance, physical theatre, hoop and aerial work, text, and projections (by Daniel Denton), this Tess, which stops briefly at the Peacock as part of MimeLondon, doesn’t shy from the complexity of the novel.
Tess Durbeyfield (actor Macadie Amoroso and dancer Lila Naruse) is part of a large farming family, with not many pennies to rub together. She is first presented as an innocent child (‘the maiden’), playing with her siblings.
After the family workhorse collides with a wagon in an accident – beautifully rendered by scaffold boards and imagination – Tess sets out to request assistance from distant, rich relations, the D’Urbervilles.
The physical elements of this show are richly directed (by Ockham’s co-artistic directors Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney) and choreographed (by Nathan Johnston).
Wooden boards represent the journey, the milking barn, the ups and downs of Tess’s tale, and form a key focus of Tina Bicât’s set, imaginatively lit by Aideen Malone.
Holly Khan’s sound design and composition takes in bells, heart beats, and the whistle of the wind. It gives a sound sense of the world Tess finds herself in.
When she meets Alec D’Urberville (Joshua Frazer), he displays a cyr wheel routine, which first enraptures poor Tess, then finally captures her as he feeds her a strawberry. As she later laments, no one warned her about the tricks of menfolk.
Later, her pious beau Angel Clare (Nat Whttingham) displays an acrobatic display of backflips and twists to indicate his mental distress at her past – a contrast to his earlier quiet but insistent proposals of marriage.
With a cast of seven, the level of fidelity to Hardy’s novel and attention to detail is astonishing. Even if you don’t know the story that is hinted at the start, it should be clear enough.
As the back projections chronicle the seasons, the elements of circus are never forced into the story, instead enhancing scenes like the flirtacious milkmaids being carried to church.
All the performers (Lauren Jamieson, Victoria Skillen, Leah Wallings complete the cast) show remarkable athletic skill and grace as the story progresses, climbing, balancing, or almost fusing their bodies together.
At 150 minutes, including a 20-minute interval, Tess never drags, and each performer has a chance to shine in this innovative and accomplished work.
Tess continues at the Peacock Theatre as part of MimeLondon until 3 Feb, then continuing on a UK tour with tickets and details here.
****
Production image credit: Kie Cummings