Preview: Ockham’s Razor Belly of The Whale UK Tour

Belly of the Whale from Ockham’s Razor, winners of the Total Theatre and Jacksons Lane Award for Circus at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016, is an incredible meeting of circus and sculpture. This new outdoor show offers an innovative combination of cross-disciplinary curiosity and intuition.

The performers, like surfers on a wild sea, ride a giant semi-circular see-saw made of wood and steel which creaks and groans as it transforms from a catapult to a gently rocking cradle, to a tunnel, to a slide – creating an ever-changing land and soundscape. The concept of the belly of the whale is found in mythology around the world – what happens when we confront our fears and come face to face with the power and momentum of things we seemingly can’t change?

The Belly of the Whale structure comes alive during the show, a sculpture in its own right and very much a fourth character. This unique and powerful see-saw, weighing 600kg, is able to reflect the narrative and aid the invention of the piece. By designing new equipment, Ockham’s Razor are constantly seeking to innovate within the confines of traditional circus. They offer up the unexpected resulting in a compelling relationship of trust and reliance between the performers.

Musician Gabriele Pierros will fuse acoustic and digital compositions, playing live while also using real-time recordings of his sounds to create a unique accompanying soundscape.

Director Tina Koch comments, In this current climate it can often feel like you are fighting with giants, running against walls, being thrown, faced with challenges and changes seemingly beyond your control. Our work is a reflection of the world how we experience it. This show is about three people coming face to face with their biggest challenge and the different ways they deal with it. It is about daring to jump into the unknown, perseverance and ultimately discovering that you can go it alone but you can go further when you join forces.