I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Six Degrees (Flip Fabrique) at the Oxford Playhouse. I came out very impressed, but to be honest, none the wiser! It was a random Monday but somehow the rest of Oxford seemed to know they would be in for a treat this evening, and the theatre was packed out. This was a show with a sense of irreverent fun that is truly universal. Apart from the occasional musical reference, it would appeal to someone of any age, cultural background or language. Basically, unless you were having a pretty terrible day, I think you would be hard pressed not to enjoy it.

The best way to describe the show is circus acrobatics edging towards slapstick physical comedy, mixed with expressive dance (think Sia style). It also tells a story, albeit a slightly weird one that I didn’t completely understand. The setting is a (possibly haunted) house in the middle of a storm, which seems to come alive or at least make the people inside it behave in unusual ways. I thought that there was meant to be some sort of historical timeline. The year changed from the 1950s to the 1970s and there was some signalling to the moon landing and James Bond, but I don’t think this was intentional - or if it was, it didn’t quite work! The website tells me that the title references the six degrees of separation between us all, which seems slightly convoluted in context..

But whatever, I don’t really care about the narrative arc - the incredible physicality of the performances communicate plenty enough. There are beautifully sensitive moments such as a female dancer flipping her body inside a life-size metal hoop, like a spinning coin. There are plenty of high energy moments, although the well-timed pacing of these allows for pauses which give the audience space to breathe and are also often used for comedic effect. I particularly enjoyed the group choreography around a trampoline which involved a male dancer doing some sort of parkour up a wall.

Six Degrees is a celebration of the craft of agility and flexibility. It uses the amazing potential for movements of human bodies to entertain and inspire. Although some of these tricks are a long way off for lots of us, there is space for all of us to move in creative and playful ways. If you haven’t already been, I would highly recommend visiting Modern Art Oxford’s Movements for Staying Alive to try experimenting with these ideas for yourself!