Can you tell a Thomas Hardy story through circus? Ockham’s Razor think so. They’re a company whose work is often full of joy, wonder and delight – not words you would use to describe Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Yet somehow they bring moments of light and laughter to this sorrowful tale, in a highly original interpretation.
There are two Tesses here, one who narrates (Macadie Amoroso) and one who dances (Lila Naruse). The text handles the facts – although the sound quality, and Tess’s West Country accent, are not always crystal clear – leaving the physical performers to deal in feelings. The mood is one of hazy, hushed, rustic days, with Holly Khan’s score finding the tone: subdued, mournful, resigned to life’s hardships, but with beauty and playfulness too. Daniel Denton’s projections give loose impressions of natural textures, rocks and clouds, and it’s very atmospheric.
