Incredible Nottingham show Passagers combines death-defying circus skills with awe-inspiring theatre

A twist on circus skills, packed with power, grace, precision and incredible skill, with an atmosphere of theatrical intrigue to match, combine to awe-inspiring effect in Passagers at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall.
Incredible silk acrobatics with a multimedia background. Photo: Alexandre GalliezIncredible silk acrobatics with a multimedia background. Photo: Alexandre Galliez
Incredible silk acrobatics with a multimedia background. Photo: Alexandre Galliez

The mesmerising show, presented by the world-renowned 7 Fingers company, opened last night (Tuesday) and completes its two-night run this evening (Wednesday), with tickets still available.

And it is truly a sight to behold and something not to be missed if you can get along to one of the city’s premier venues.

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The founders of the 7 Fingers originally launched the company in 2002 with the aim of stripping down the spectacle of the circus back to its basics – and from that birth in Canada, the group has blazed a trail with their intimate shows.

Gravity-defying trapeze work in Passagers. Photo: Alexandre GalliezGravity-defying trapeze work in Passagers. Photo: Alexandre Galliez
Gravity-defying trapeze work in Passagers. Photo: Alexandre Galliez

So far have they evolved that the performances have become a theatrical event unlike anything I have seen before.

For example, the interludes of Passagers – interspersed between death-defying, raw acrobatics – feature contemporary dance of the highest quality, song and spine-tingling soliloquies.

The easily recognisable circus skills are on show, from silk acrobatics high above the stage, to juggling, hula-hoop work, trapeze and pole gymnastics.

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But everything is done with a level of panache and beauty that wouldn’t be out of place at the Royal Ballet.

And not to mention the levels of physical prowess and stamina displayed by the nine-strong cast during an hour-and-a-half show without an interval.

The theme of Passagers is centred around train travel and train stations – scenes of departures, arrivals, reunions, sadness and happiness.

As the programme says these are ‘a community of strangers with one thing in common: they all have somewhere to go’.

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From an eerie beginning, the show peaks and troughs, bristling with energy and then slowing right down so the audience can take in the multimedia backdrops and stunning use of lighting.

The silk acrobatics is poetry in motion, hula action fast-paced and mindboggling and a dance number combined with superhuman flexibility in which time stands still aboard a moving train is jaw-dropping.

The pole-acrobatics defies gravity, the juggling section combines a tinge of comedy and a finale of power and Olympic level high-bar work is the icing on the cake.

This was a show I went along to without any preconceived ideas, but left with total admiration and disbelief.

For ticket and show information CLICK HERE.

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