Emma Reynolds reviews Orb by Fleur de Thier. Orb was performed at Little Andromeda on Thursday 8 August 2024. https://littleandromeda.co.nz/show/orb
Have you ever been to a show that was SO good you felt compelled to start a review column?
Orb describes itself as an exploration of the concept of orbs, but I would go further and call it an exploration of joy. My cheeks hurt afterwards from smiling and laughing so much. There’s something truly delightful about how glorious work can come from committing to absurdity, committing to extending through, committing to the bit. Orb is a good bit.
As a theatre-maker myself, I often pay a lot of attention to the technical parts of the show – sound, lighting, costume, et cetera – everything that brings the humans to life. In Orb, the technical elements deserve special and individual attention, just as much as the people. The set was a literal explosion of orbs. I was drawn in & captivated from the very get go – “how did they get them up there??” In the sound world, I don’t think I’ve heard any of that music before, but it was all so well used and placed. I was constantly foot-tapping because it was all such a jam. The costumes were fun, sparkly, and bright. The way we, as an audience, were given the chance to take a collective breath at stages throughout was so well placed. I find it’s often scary to let a moment sit, to have nothing “happening”, but Orb was so brave and so successful in the way that it made the pauses beautiful.
I’ve been putting off talking about the best bits. Let’s talk about the lighting. Gosh, let me wax poetic about the lighting!! Whoever was the lighting designer for the show (the director, Fleur de Thier?) needs a big round of applause. Using overhead lights directly on orbs from the outside gave them a beautiful ghostly glow. Having floor lights aplenty made the space feel delightfully cosy. Giving space to the moment of turning the lights on was glorious. Using a lit orb as a prop was fabulous. The light microphones were inspired. Swinging the lights was, frankly, scary (what if the light gets damaged?) but SO COOL. (Special shout-out to bringing back props in a new & changed way.) The movable floor lights were fun and fabulous, and everything they did transformed the space. I go to Little Andromeda often, but I was floored with the many many ways that this small box was seen and transformed into.
OK, let’s talk dance. Dance isn’t the first thing I want to go see, but these were two very talented dancers. Julia McKerrow & Aleasha Seaward deserve big acclaim for what they did in this show. They were precise, fabulous, and funny. They kept looking at each other in a way that I read as “I can’t believe we’re getting away with this!” or “how amazing is it that we get to make art together?!”. They crushed it. I feel sad that I don’t know dance as well as I should, because it means I can’t speak to the technical prowess there. To my untrained eye, however, they were excellent.
The only mark I can make against Orb is the sightlines. Fleur has used the space in an inspired way, but it does mean that some bits are harder to see from some angles. I suppose you’d just have to see it multiple times from multiple angles!
OK, the comedy. I’m fairly sure I found Orb funnier than most of the audience. I really picked up on the commitment to the bit, on the juxtaposition of goofy and serious, on the subverted expectations. I felt completely drawn into this world that had been created, and I was honestly truly delighted by the exploration and childlike play in it. That’s the comedy – getting to watch the play. Well, and the physical comedy, and the microphone song. But mostly just existing. In amongst the joy, however, sometimes the seriousness jumps out from behind an orb and smacks you on the back of the head. I had a real lump in my throat at the deflating at one point.
To that one kid who yelled out “yay” in one of the quiet moments – I agree, kid! I agree.
OK, I thought of one more criticism. It’s not showing anymore, and you missed out, and I can’t see it again. That really sucks.
There was so much care and thought put into every ounce of Orb. I shudder to think how much time this took to put together. Fleur, Julia, Aleasha, and everyone else involved in the show, should be truly & deeply proud of this behemoth of joy.
Hwyl Theatre 