Ten Thousand Hours at Assembly Hall is breathtakingly beautiful. Eight acrobatic gymnasts from Australia – Gravity & Other Myths – perform jaw-dropping routines, individually, in pairs, and as an ensemble for the whole 60 minutes, making the perfection look effortless. We know it’s not – and the show’s title attests to the hard graft required to turn practice into genius.
The show is fun, characterful, and has some audience participation – but don’t let that put you off. It’s not cringey or embarrassing; it’s quite the opposite and helps the audience feel part of the extraordinary performance. Without words, the team is welcoming and inclusive, and you want to be part of that joy. The show is perfect for families, and the not-quite-two-year-old sitting near me was entranced – shouting out ‘Well done!’ after yet another human ‘stack’ – much to the delight of the performers. Her nine-year-old sister was equally mesmerised.
The team work the stage pretty much non-stop, on a simple black set with synth and drum accompaniment – some very cool drumming included – and some digital numbers, projected on the backdrop, used in a fun way throughout. Their tour cases are their only props.
The show is perfectly choreographed, leading your eye to exactly where it needs to be, so you don’t miss a thing. The team is pitch-perfect, and the occasional ‘pratfall’ appears nigh on impossible. They run, they jump, they make human swings, and they might even give Simone Biles a run for her money – which one crew member was actually asked to do by an audience member!
There is nothing show-offy about this show. Each member’s talents, abilities, and strengths are played to, and they genuinely seem delighted for one another when each routine is perfectly achieved. They let us into their ‘practice makes perfect’ world, when two of the team attempt a really difficult move – and give themselves 10 attempts to perfect it. The audience was willing them on – part of the collective desire to see friends achieve.
Ten Thousand Hours is heartwarming, jaw-dropping, utterly beautiful, and an absolute must-see. I would go back and see every performance if I could. I wholeheartedly urge you not to miss this.
