3

	C venues - C eca (venue website) Theatre 1-12, 14-27 Aug, 5:30pm-6:40pm Reviewed by Alice de Cent
Family-friendly. Suitable for all ages.

Backhand Theatre tell the story of Icarus after he falls from the sky. Having landed in the sea, he is rescued by Guy. The pair then begin a quest to follow a star and regain the power of flight.

Featuring aerial sequences and physical theatre, the show has some impressive visual elements. These include some charming animal puppetry, and a striking poi sequence where glowing orbs becoming the night sky, as one star falls to earth – simultaneously falling for Icarus.

But the script is in need of further development, as it sometimes feels secondary to the physical components. The actors give committed and serviceable performances, but with talents clearly lying more towards the physical side, writer and choreographer Jake Linzey would be wise to trim the dialogue. It’s safe to focus on the physical storytelling, since these sequences are in no danger of seeming over-long.

The ending seems a little hurried, with a plot point that has been previously mentioned happening offstage – leaving the audience with questions about how it all wrapped up. If the issue is time constraints then, again, some trimming of dialogue would give them space to pull the loose ends together.

All the same, Icarus: A Story Of Flight has some delightful moments of visual and physical storytelling. The show doesn’t quite come together as a whole yet, but it has many enjoyable elements, and is a heartwarming tale about the wonder and joy of flight.