Ghost Light: Between Fall and Flight is playing at Underbelly’s Circus Hub on The Meadows in the atmospheric Lafayette. This powerful and pensive production explores the concept of spirits of past performers being drawn back to their old stomping grounds, existing in the space between reality and the surreal, light and half-light.
The narrative introduces us to protagonists who are revived and rediscover their old skills, rekindling the bonds and talents they once had in their circus acts. The show revolves around a single, central apparatus—the teeterboard. Watching masters of their craft perform without the usual safety nets is thrilling, adding a layer of tension that keeps the audience on edge.
I often judge circus productions by my personal ‘wow’ factor, where the word “unstoppable” escapes my lips. While there were certainly moments of brilliance in Ghost Light: Between Fall and Flight, they were often interspersed with more introspective storytelling. The tumbling, mixed with physical theatre, drives the action forward, and the simplicity of the overall design allows the audience to focus on the relationships being explored and the death-defying feats performed. The synchronicity between the performers is outstanding, reminiscent of recent Olympic divers in form, skill, and bravery. Except here there is no pool of water to catch them, just the semi-padded floor.
Ghost Light: Between Fall and Flight is an exceptional production that combines high-impact circus with a mysterious through-line, holding the audience’s attention throughout. It is a skilful, bold exploration of nostalgia, trust, loss, brotherly love, and a show well worth watching.
