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Assembly Roxy – Upstairs
Gender equality in a nutshell. Summary
Rating
Excellent
Have you ever found yourself watching a circus show and wondering why men are doing all the lifts and women are not seen at the bottom of a human tower? Are you still surprised (even if pleasantly) every time you see a man stepping onto the shoulders of a woman? In the last few years circus has attempted to break gender norms and tried to switch roles but there’s still a lot of work to do towards equality – even more so at a time when society is compelled to move away from a binary vision. In some (even high profile) troupes, gender swaps still looks forced, coming across more as a box ticking exercise than well integrated in the creative programme.
This is certainly not the case of N.Ormes, in which Montreal-based duo Agathe Bisserier and Adrien Malette-Chénier rip apart gender-based norms (hence the title), to prove that anything can be done by males and females with the same level of fluency. Their goofy portrayal of a relationship is a non-verbal rom com for circus lovers with themes like co-dependency, neglect and mutual support. Their interactions easily elicit laughter as we see, for instance, Adrien (who is physically much taller than Agathe) clinging onto his female counterpart with both arms and legs. Lighting is kept very dim throughout, to suggest the intimate nature of this piece.
With the evolving of their romance, scenes of affection, jealousy, selfishness and narcissism also make an appearance, cleverly translated into highly expressive acrobatics. Words are not needed to suggest that disagreement leads to separation, as Agathe is left alone to execute a number of headstands by a disgruntled partner. In the same way, Adrien is also abandoned when he tries to be too controlling, and takes the opportunity to explore his own personal space.
Eventually, the powerplay reaches a perfect balance, with both artists becoming a mirror image of each other; not only executing the same routines (and taking turns when doing the lifts), but also wearing the exact same items of clothing in a visually effective celebration of equality. The two work in absolute syntony, with a flawless execution that is a testament to their endless determination. One can never see any effort coming from either of them – not even in the most daring of lifts!
Providing a thoroughly dramatised exploration of a relationship’s emotional range, this charming show is easily relatable, often breath-taking and a great pleasure to watch. It subverts the set of social rules that all too often push us to make wrong assumptions, and is an invaluable lesson in equality.
Created by: Agathe Bisserier and Adrien Malette-Chénier
Original Score by: Simon Leoza
Produced by: Agathe and Adrien in co-production with Acting for Climate Montréal
N.Ormes played as part of EdFringe 2023.
