Being Human

*This review was based on a press trip provided by Extraordinary Bodies. G lass of white wine in hand (or, more accurately, plastic cup), I entered the impressive York Theatre Royal and was handed some bright LED headphones. This was an unexpected feature of Human that I was greeted with on arrival – audio description was on-demand, accounting for those who needed it, or wanted to take a break from the noise mid performance. The staff were friendly and just on the right side of questioning for me to feel comfortable requesting certain access needs should I need them. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, as I’ve never seen a hybrid performance of circus, cinema and music, but I know that I’m expecting a performance that makes me think.

I get that, and more; I end up tearing up. Though only a small cast, a tight run time and even smaller props, only drums, a trapeze, a circus rope and a screen, Human manages to pack a punch, exploring poetry, spoken word, instrumentals, movement and circus performance to tell expressive stories about life and love. Sometimes the stories centred disability, and sometimes they didn’t - sometimes they were just about sweets. This all-encompassing casual approach to the inclusivity of the show was impressive. Although there was clearly a lot of effort behind the scenes to make the right arrangements that would fit the most amount of people, it felt as though this could just be all shows. This is how art and theatre could be, I thought. And it wasn’t just the performance - which allowed for an unwell cast member to be replaced by a video performance at the drop of a hat - but the social distancing, which wasn’t made out to be a big deal, the online Inclusion and Access pack, and the ability to watch a video screening for free. This all contributed to an atmosphere that felt like it had been made to consider everyone. Of course, nothing is ever fully accessible - whilst there was a lot going on which was enjoyable for me, for others the choppy performance might be frustrating or hard to follow.

The performances, however, were enhanced using video on a large screen, with virtual commentary from another performer, as well as BSL translation. The choreography also was a true highlight, exploring complex emotions whilst also being visually breathtaking, and felt truly different to anything I’d ever seen before.

Overall, Human encapsulated exactly what it set out to do, yet somehow was more than I expected. It was a true example of what disabled talent can do, without feeling overly inspiring, cliched or negative, and I can imagine that everyone would take away something different from the experience. The main point being, I suppose, that everyone could enjoy the experience in the best way for them to begin with, a feat for any arts show.