Physical Theater Festival Presents LA BESTIA Review – Defying Gravity

A chiffon-like, large piece of white fabric flies over us.
“We need your help. Raise your arms," an actor on stage calls out.
We help the fabric make its way to the stage, but before it does, it completely engulfs us. The blue lights make the fabric engulfing us resemble water and the movement of our arms creates the waves. This is how the entire show proceeds—little text, and most of it spoken directly to us in the audience in the small and intimate performance space.

We are here in La Bestia joining in the journey of central Americans migrating from their home countries, through Mexico, and into the south of the United States. The trials and tribulations of this difficult journey, as well as the moments of stillness and community, are shown not through words, but through impressive acts of acrobatics.
The journey starts with runs and flips. When they reach the river, the actors form a clump as they sway from side to side, embodying a boat. A large wave comes and the group loses a few members, who gracefully spin away.

LA BESTIA Presents a Fully Physical Way of Telling Stories

Silks, arial arts, the diabolo, handstand canes, and much more—the arduous nature of their journey is told through physical feats of every kind. We gasp during most of the acts.
An acrobat is pulled by a string connected to her hair, high up into the air as she spins and holds her foot to her head. She contorts her body into shapes and creates a series of visually striking poses and images.
Another actor-acrobat, as part of his journey, must jump through many hoops–literally.  He flips through the hoops with dexterity as they get higher and higher still. The other acrobats cheer him on.

A live band is stationed above the stage accompanying all of the action. The sound of pianos, strings, and drums allow the musicians to create a wide range of sounds and moods. Despite that, it is near-silence when the actor-acrobats make their way to the border, only to pull down a black curtain and find a wall.
You too, like this writer, might feel that the La Bestia spectacle-packed show conveys the trials and tribulations of Central American immigrants in a moving and powerful way.

For those who enjoy physical story-telling and circus, this is for you.

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CAST:

Nouveau Sud Circus Project.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Nouveau Sud Circus Project.

This year’s Physical Theater Festival and performances of La Bestia have concluded.  Please bookmark the Physical Theater Festival website for more information on next year’s festival.

Photos Courtesy of Physical Theater Festival.