We here in Washington, DC are no strangers to a “political circuses,” but it was hard to know what to expect from Swedish acrobatic troupe Cirkus Cirkör, whose past performances have been described as “contemporary circus activism.” The troupe’s newest piece Limits—part jaw-dropping acrobatics, part contemporary ballet, interspersed with feats of strength, live music, mind-bending puzzles and, of course, juggling acts—defies any single genre.
And you simply can’t. look. away.
In the intimate environs of the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater, Limits seems almost too large for the space—as if, at any minute, the action on stage might explode outward into the audience. The five acrobatic performers are everywhere at once: climbing the scaffolding at the shadowed edges of the stage, crawling hands-and-knees across the overhead lighting rig, dangling precipitously from a rope by the mere crook of a flexed foot, and falling from a 40-foot wall to the audience’s collectively-timed gasp.
Dramatically scaled set pieces contribute to the overall largess. A metal lattice representing a border wall rises nearly out of the audience’s view as performers deftly scramble over it. A behemoth steel platform, suspended on wires, dips and sways precariously as a performer crosses back and forth, nonchalantly arranging furniture. A massive teeterboard (fancy word for a teeter-totter) catapults the performers nearly into the wings.
But the true spectacle of Limits derives from the pure athleticism of its acrobats. Unlike any other circus I have seen, Limits’ performers sport no elaborate costumes—no sequins or feathers, top hats or capes. Yet, even clad in jeans and t-shirts in various muted-tones, they nothing short of hypnotic. Each with their own specially-honed skill, they push their bodies far beyond the fathomable. “Flyer” Saara Ahola exists in a perpetual state of graceful freefall as she navigates trapeze, ropes and silks, her movements so fluid and effortless the audience nearly forgets there is no net. Her partner, Peter Aberg, acts as the master of ceremonies, charming the audience with casual banter as he moves from acrobatics, to juggling, to feats of mind and memory.
Oscar Karlsson and Nilas Kronlid repeatedly risk life and limb as they topple from great heights only to bounce back again and again, and launch each other skyward from the teeterboard performing elegant aerial acrobatics. I was most awed, however, by Sarah Lett on the “roue cyr,” a large aluminum ring on which she gave one of the most intricate, technically challenging, and engrossing performances I have seen.
More than just a piece of performance art, Limits also aims to be a cultural commentary and rallying cry around Europe’s forced migration crisis. Picking up the thread of their 2015 production Borders, Limits explores the physical and psychological barriers that confront those attempting to cross Europe’s increasingly impenetrable borders, forcing them to push themselves in ways they never could have imagined. Through voiceovers and projected images, snapshots of the immigrant experience are woven into the physical narrative—in particular the lives lost in trying to escape to safety.
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Director Tilde Björfors, founder and Creative Director of Cirkus Cirkör, drew from her own experiences in creating Limits—observing and assisting migrants crossing the border into her native Sweden. “Hundreds of boundary-crossers. Every encounter a new story, a personal tragedy. I became aware of limitations within myself and society.” After helping to establish a transitional housing facility, Björfors eventually opened her own home to displaced families. Witness to the resilience born of their, Björfors sought to create a piece that would challenge both performers and the audience to push their own boundaries and perceptions. While Björfors’ ambitious goals sometimes fall short—the connection between the physical performance and its loftier lessons lost—Limits is ultimately a mesmerizing, thought-provoking night of theater.
Limits is part of The Human Journey, a collaboration between the Kennedy Center, National Geographic Society, and the National Gallery of Art that seeks to “investigate the powerful experiences of migration, exploration, identity, and resilience through the lenses of the performing arts, science, and visual art.”
Limits. Directed by Tilde Björfors. Featuring Saara Ahola, Oscar Karlsson, Nilas Kronlid, Sarah Lett and Peter Aberg. Music by Samuel “LoopTok” Langbacka. Voice overs by Qutaiba Aldahwa and Javid Heidari. Reviewed by Meaghan Hannan Davant.
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