Making its London premiere, Catch Me (Attrape-Moi) by Flip FabriQue, brings a group of young circus artists together to perform something that’s simply flipping fantastic. Directed by Oliver Normand, Catch Me shows off some impressive skills but also highlights the importance of friendship and happiness.
Revolving around a loose story – it’s the end of summer and a group of friends are saying goodbye, only to be reunited six years later at the same cottage they once shared – this isn’t a show you see for the plot. It’s undeniably a visual spectacle that tests the human body to its limits, in the opening minutes a human totem pole is formed, shortly followed by a beautiful and mesmerising aerial performance.
That’s only the start; beatbox juggling, trampolining, diablos and even bouncing balls to Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, what’s not to love? All of it seeming to defy the laws of physics as props, and bodies, are thrown across the stage in spectacular fashion.
Together the performers are like a band of superheroes, each with their own super-power ready to wow the audience. They are clearly a tight-knit group; Jérémie Arsenault, Camila Comin, Hugo Ouellet Côté, Bruno Gagnon, Cristophe Hamel and Yann LeBlanc demonstrate superb team work. Throughout the show it feels like you are watching a group of mates just messing around, but make no mistake, this is messing around with ultimate precision, there is real danger in this art.
It’s wonderful to be part of an audience that ‘ooh’s’ and ‘aah’s’ throughout the performance. When we weren’t gasping, we were shaking our heads in disbelief or sitting in jaw dropping astonishment. Consistently though, we were laughing, it’s wonderfully funny and accompanied with a beautiful soundtrack.
Catch Me (Attrape-Moi) is an absolutely delightful way to spend an evening, not only is it funny and soul-nourishing it reminds us of the joy that comes from friendship, and that we could all do with a little more play-time in our lives, although for the rest of us that will have to be with both feet planted firmly on the ground.
