Casus are an Australian circus company, specialising in work containing acrobalance, aerial, dance and physical theatre. I had been recommended their Fringe show "Knee Deep"by my Dad who had read a 5* review a few weeks previous.
The venue was the Spiegeltent Teatro in Assembly George Square. A combination between a big top and a cabaret club, it had a great atmosphere for this intimate show. The venue was packed and although Casus were nearing the end of a sold out run, they seemd anything but tired.
I was overwhelmed by the delicate strenght of the sole female performer (Emma Serjeant), who stood out as a strong technical artist. I was excited to see such a powerful female presence in Casus' work as it contrasted with the over-use of females in circus as the elegant, vulnerable assistant, spending her time on the top of balances or being passed between male performers. The male cast members were equally as powerful (and elegant!) making Casus' performance refreshingly genderless, showing each performer for their individual strengths without stereotyping or making the obvious choices according to gender or looks.
"Knee Deep" lasted an hour, but not one second was wasted, with the highlights for me including the head balance on the static trapeze and delicate work on top of eggs. The range of skills mastered by these 4 performers seemed unlimited, and it is definitely one of the most captivating performances I have seen. I will definitely buy a ticket for a Casus show again if they return to Scotland in the future.
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