A tender reflection, Collaborator transforms twenty years of partnership into a quietly rebellious piece of circus theatre, rich with vulnerability and artistic confidence. Rating
Excellent
If Collaborator does mark the retirement of Ockham’s Razor’s Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney as a performing duo, they’ll be going out on a deliciously quirky, on-brand, circus theatre show. Wonderfully simple and unpretentious, yet still with bold artistic vision.
Simple is important. It’s where the company gets its name. Ockham’s Razor refers to the philosophical principle that states if you can do something in one step, you should. Thanks, Mr Ockham (William, actually, 1287-1347). That sounds sensible for cutting out life’s complexities, but I’m not sure it’s all that great for art, so I’m glad Harvey and Mooney took the time to meander through their past for us.
Romantic as well as professional partners, we’re told with refreshing frankness, Harvey and Mooney know what a twenty-year creative collaboration feels like. Why not put that on stage? Share it with the world as a final gift? It certainly feels precious. Radical even. A partnership forged, it’s clear, through genuine affection on stage. In 2026! Imagine! This feels like an outrageous political act for those of us determined to deny the cynicism of our times. There is something defiant here in choosing openness over performance, and vulnerability over spectacle. In a world that fetishises novelty and argument, longevity and commitment to a craft become provocations in themselves.
Collaborator is definitely open. We see the workings of the show. Ropes, winches and costume changes are all on display in the big white space that is The Place’s stage. There are no mysteries or ‘Boom-tish’ revelations. It would, of course, be very easy to focus on the highs, the thrills and spills of a career in circus. The two stars are skilled aerialists after all. But we get it all, every bit of their history.
Along with the joys and humour that come from connection and trust, we get the relentless slog, the cajoling, the differing views, the tensions, the cracks, the dull days and the dark days. The latter sees monsters fought off in a way reminiscent of Sam & Frodo battling through Mordor. Life gets that way sometimes, doesn’t it?
Despite the company’s reputation, much of the action is floor-based, blurring the lines between circus and dance. Suits me. Harvey and Mooney are using their bodies to tell their story. Let others define it. The pair aren’t scared of standing still, though. We watch sand fall from the ceiling and pendulums swing along with them in welcome moments of reflection.
It’s not silent, far from it. We get an original, playful, and beautifully judged soundtrack from composer Holly Kahn and sound designer Arianna Muǹoz. We get commentary, too. Actual talking. Mooney initially, then Harvey, takes to the mic to explain what’s happening, tell a story, let us in on a secret and, movingly, give each section a title. Most poignantly, the final aerial section is titled These Are the Days We’ll Miss. Surely not. Ockham’s Razor can’t really be heading off into retirement. On the evidence of Collaborator, they’re still very much in their prime, both as circus performers and storytellers.
Created, Directed and Performed by Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney (Ockham’s Razor)
Produced by Alison King (Turtle Key Arts)
Choreography by Nathan Johnston
Composed by Holly Kahn
Sound Design by Arianna Muǹoz
Design and Equipment Concept by Ockham’s Razor
Costume Design by Tina Bicât
Collaborator plays at The Place Theatre until Saturday 31 January
