Two timelines collide in this bold fusion of dance and circus, offering a fresh perspective on HIV. When Grace receives a diagnosis, she is transported back to the 80s alongside Michael, a gay man navigating a very different reality. Their journeys unfold through striking choreography, Chinese pole and aerial artistry.
Review by Richard Lambert
Tell Me is a really interesting mix of dance, circus and storytelling, bringing together two timelines to explore HIV from very different perspectives. When Grace receives her diagnosis, she is transported back to the 1980s, where she meets Michael, a gay man experiencing a very different reality. Their stories unfold through some seriously impressive physical performance.
The skill level of the performers is a real highlight. The Chinese pole and aerial work are incredibly demanding, and the performers handle some very challenging physical sequences with a confidence that makes it look much easier than it actually is. There’s a real sense of strength and balance between them.
The production itself is also surprisingly ambitious for the Fringe. There’s a substantial set and a lot of equipment to accommodate, yet it all works remarkably well within Summerhall’s Dissection Room. The venue deserves some credit here for accommodating a show of this scale, particularly one requiring so much height and space for the aerial and Chinese pole work. It’s a good example of a production making the most of the space it has rather than being restricted by it.
The turnaround is impressive too. Getting a production of this size, with its technical requirements and circus equipment, into a Fringe venue and making it work so smoothly takes a lot of planning and a very capable technical team. Everything feels well organised and the pace keeps the show moving.
What really comes through is how much emotion is carried through the performers’ movement. You don’t always need the words to understand what the characters are feeling, as their physical performance tells you so much. The circus skills are impressive, but they never feel like they’re there just for the sake of it – they help tell the story and make some of the more emotional moments really hit home.
It’s bold, ambitious and very physical, with an extremely talented cast. Tell Me manages to combine an important subject with some genuinely impressive circus and dance, and it’s also a reminder of just how much can be achieved in a Fringe venue when a production really knows how to use its space.