Thursday 10 March 2022

THEATRE REVIEW: Atlas - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.


A tale as old as time, quite literally... Atlas begins when the universe begins, telling the tale of the giant Titans' reign over all of creation. When a prophecy declares that his own children will be his downfall, Chronos, the greatest of the Titans, responds in the only appropriate way and eats his offspring one by one as they're born. This works perfectly well until problem child Zeus arrives and is spirited away for his own protection. Thus the wheels are set in motion for a series of events that end in a war between Chronos and the Titans and Zeus and the new gods. The giant warrior Atlas pledges loyalty to the Titans and leads their army into battle. Spoiler alert: It doesn't go his way...

Oddly Moving's piece has truly epic roots. What could be more epic than a war between Gods and Titans with the literal fate of the universe hanging in the balance? It's no small feat of achievement then that this unique, charming fusion of theatre, storytelling and circus manages to bring such an ambitious premise to life so effectively. Roaring out of the starting blocks with the aforementioned conflict they then succeed in bringing the subsequent fate of Atlas, cursed to bear the literal weight of the universe, to the forefront on an engaging personal level. This seamless blend of huge consequence and personal connection makes for a fascinating combination.

It's somewhat ironic that whomever has the job of portraying Atlas has the task of carrying much of the performance. Fortunately Arielle Lauzon absolutely shines in this role, both in terms of her jaw-dropping acrobatic skills and her ability to bring a potentially one dimensional character to life. From the moment Atlas walks stoically onto the battlefield at the outset we know exactly what he's about. As the story unfolds Lauzon does a sterling job of conveying the giant's burden as well as his potentially brief taste of freedom when that transpires, radiating strength and vulnerability perfectly when the time calls for it. The real talking point however is this Montreal native's phenomenal physicality. More than once Lauzon's feats of agility, balance and near superhuman power translate to movements and feats on stage that all but defy description. You will likely mutter “What was that and how did she do it?” more than once.

Co-creator Grania Pickard narrates the story of Gods and giants in a charming, sincere and understated manner. As our guide in this frankly insane universe we can't help but want to follow wherever she leads us. Narrators can often come across as somewhat cynical characters due to their often cynical exposition-driven nature but this was never the case with Pickard. From start to finish her charm and enthusiasm absolutely shines through and we found ourselves looking forward to hearing from her. A huge component of Atlas's story succeeding as a marriage between the grandiose and the deeply, deeply personal. It's no mean feat to go seamlessly from discussing mythology to astrophysics either.

Helena Barry, as Heracles, is given ample opportunity to shine as well. Bringing energy to the battlefield at the outset as well as displaying some clever, innovate use of props for juggling and manipulation as the story unfolds.

Visually, 'Atlas' really benefits from it's simple, striking use of a handful of props and set pieces. Charlotte Mooney's direction combines wonderfully with James Hesford's music and Ben Cowen's lighting, once again shifting from epic to intimate and back again without once feeling jarring. Numerous penny-drop moments as something that's either a curiosity or initially incongruous reveals its part in the production. Incredibly efficient and the play is all the better for it. Of particular note is the use of a large, circular mirror to portray Atlas's burden throughout, especially in the way it catches the light to great effect. More than a prop, it becomes the essence of the story as the journey unfolfs.

Epic and intimate... physical and spiritual... mythological and scientific... 'Atlas' is a truly unique performance piece that not only manages to tie all these diametrically opposed ideas together but does it with style and heart. Incredible displays of acrobatics combine with clever storytelling to create a truly immersive experience whereby the hour absolutely flies past. Moreover the underlying message that unfolds is one that we're all very much in need of, especially given the chaos of global events these days. A highly recommended show that you'll enjoy watching and also very much enjoy discussing afterwards.

Reviewer - Chris Brooker
on - 8.3.22

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