one4review | On 10, Aug 2013

*****

Danish company Neander takes physical theatre to a spectacular high level of athletic and inventive performance. On entering the auditorium we see four guys working away at their computers in a large, open space office but separated into individual cubicles. There is the Boss (Joen Højerslev) at the back and his staff (Kristján Ingimarsson, Janus Elsig and Didier Oberle) at the front.

Tedium sets in and little practical jokes take place when the Boss isn’t looking. After this restrained opening, they enter a world of fantasy where shoot outs and hand to hand combat, just like in the movies, alternate with gentler sequences involving a life form created by a large water bottle and two angle poise lamps. The large size of the Pleasance Grand enables the performers to give the chase scenes great reality.

The intensity builds and builds and the penultimate scene of a combat between superheroes is breath taking in its fusion of dynamic action, music, sound effects, lighting and set movement. After such mayhem and trashing their office, they close with a pretty cool dance routine in unison to AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.

At the end of the show, large sections of the audience gave a spontaneous standing ovation. No surprise after such an enthralling, visual experience.

Reviewed by Ben

Pleasance Courtyard; 33

31 July to 26 August 2013 (not 7, 13, 20)

17.55 – 19.10

Fringe Programme Page Number: 261