one4review | On 13, Aug 2026

If you’ve ever heard “it takes 10,000 hours to master something”, it comes from Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success, in which Gladwell repeatedly mentions the 10,000-hour rule, stating that the key to becoming a master or world-class expert in anything is essentially down to practising that discipline for around Ten Thousand Hours. To put that in real terms, it’s like working a 40-hour week, every week, with no holiday or weeks off for 5 years straight. That’s the point I think this show’s title is trying to make about the impressive dedication and commitment this group of athletes has to be at this level.

So, the stage is simple, but the lighting certainly isn’t, with a large digital clock that dominates the back wall and intense white lighting on either side of the talent, dramatically lit for what we’re witnessing. This is reason number one to sit as centrally as possible; more on that later. This isn’t a sparkly circus; the performers wear muted training gear, and at times it’s more rehearsal space than a spectacle. We see various more intimate moments like testing out tricks and jumps or warming up exercises, one so fun in fact we see a performer transform from breakdancer into money and then banana! All audience requests too!

As mentioned, this show is best seen front and centre, we sat to the left of the stage, not in ‘restricted view’ or anything unusual, just a normal ticket but as we did it turned out that we lost 10-20% of the stage, never once saw the drummer or person on the microphone at the start, it sounded good but I couldn’t tell you what was happening on that part of the stage and the large digital clock we made out the edge and so are confident it was showing various numbers but from those seats it might have had a score board. During the drum solo, we watched the performers take a well-deserved water break. This is a logistical snag, but a full price seat shouldn’t give you this kind of limited view.

Overall, despite the frustrating sightlines, Gravity & Other Myths delivers a unique showcase of talent and physical theatre; you’ll laugh, whoop and cheer for the bravery on stage. A masterclass in motion, as long as you can see it.

****1/2
Reviewed by Matthew
Assembly Hall – Main Hall
Until 30 August (not 12 17 or 24)
17.30 (1 hour)