Ockham Razor’s Not Until We Are Lost (Tour – Lancaster)

Venue: LICA
Where: Lancaster

Ockham’s Razor’s new show ensures the audience is at the centre of the piece; Not Until We Are Lost is a promenade where you wander around a darkened space, guided by light and ropes to watch the 60-minute drama unfold.

The piece has many memorable and intimate moments, particularly when the dancers perform inside a plastic cage where their muscles and nuances can be seen close up. The show’s name is taken from David Henry’s Thoreau’s quote, ‘Not until we are lost do we begin to find ourselves’ and the four dancers illustrate that theme by taking the audience in unexpected directions, both physically and emotionally.

There’s aerial gymnastics mixed with more tender moments, yet the storytelling element isn’t as strong as in some of their previous shows. What does shine through though is the music, created by Cornish composer Graham Fitkin and performed by harpist Ruth Wall and 20 local singers whose hauntingly beautiful voices encircled the audience.

It may not be a vintage piece by the popular aerial performance company but it is still a thoroughly entertaining and thoughtful way to pass an hour of your time.

– Sue Riley