Stretching the limitations of the human form, and the limits of gender norms, N.Ormes is a circus show with never before seen acrobatic exchanges.
Dysfunctional, bittersweet, and provocative, Agathe and Adrien (in co-production with Acting for Climate Montréal) are heading to the Festival Fringe for the first time with their brilliant combination of acrobatics and dance, as audiences follow two protagonists and their relationship, as they navigate complicity and power dynamics.
Turning the stage into an arena, one by one, the archetypes make ready and fall into battle, giving way to a quest for friendship and fairness through fluidity and power.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
We are Agathe and Adrien, a hand-to-hand duo based in Montreal. For a long time, We suffered from impostor syndrome, feeling either too heavy to fly or too skinny to base. We compared ourselves a lot with the typical model of a hand-to-hand duo, which we’re not until we realised our strength lay elsewhere, we then explored and developed our own language in our acrobatic lifts. N.Ormes is an hour-long circus show that highlights this research through some never before-seen acrobatic exchanges. It challenges the audiences to question their own assumptions through a touching and intimate journey that will move each and everyone with a perfect blend of tears and laughter. The show skilfully combines acrobatics and dance, as the audience follows the two protagonists and their relationship, navigating between power struggles.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
The inspiration for the show came in 2020, after 5 years of working together, while we were taking our measurements together for some costumes. Even if Adrien is a lot taller than Agathe, we realised that we had the same circumference measurements! The hips, chest, waist, arms, thighs…Everything! So we started wondering, Why is Adrien the base and Agathe the flyer ? What would happen if we exchanged roles? Personality-wise, who is actually more inclined to base of fly ? And mainly what gender biases are ruling our practice This initial questioning led us to a fruitful journey, and 3-year long creation that completely changed us, our duo identity, our relation to our body, capacities. Our take on the world has evolved as well, and we now want to share, more than ever, the product of this journey and hopefully overthrow some preconceptions on the way.
How does it feel about your first visit to the Fringe?
This is our first time at the Fringe as artists! We came in 2019 as an audience of the festival and we loved the vibe, but it truly feels amazing to come back, 4 years later, with our own show! We are all the more proud to be in this year’s programmation only 4 months after the show premiered in Montreal! We are proud to be playing next to such amazing artists and companies, and we are hyped, and grateful for all the interest and buzz the show is already creating. It’s an honour to be part of an international festival of this scale and this is the perfect opportunity for us to get visibility and share our work with as many people as possible.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
Well, that’s an interesting question! I believe what touches and surprises our audience the most is to go to a circus show expecting solely entertainment and getting out of it this profoundly inspiring and touching journey where the acrobatics makes the show accessible to each and everyone while serving a bigger message. Plus where else do you see a 6 feet tall guy standing and chilling on the head of his 5 feet tall partner?
Is there anything specific you’re hoping for the audience to take away?
The first thing that comes to mind is that I would like this show to inspire little girls to aspire for more. Haha, but there are so many other things! That another way is possible, that what makes you different and self-conscious might actually be your strength, and embarrassing that side of you will make you flourish.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…?
We created the show for all audiences, but we are really interested in reaching people who have not necessarily wondered about gender norms. I think the circus is a great bridge to evoke those subjects in ways that will reach people where words can’t.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
Edinburgh is no place to rest! And if you know some good massage therapists, we are all ears 😉 But on our day off we will definitely go see some of the great shows that appear on the Emerging Edinburgh List from Chloe Nelkins Consultant. We are a group of young, motivated and innovative new creators that will make a big splash at this year’s fringe!
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
You mean apart from the fact that everything seems expensive here :)? As it is our first time, we are sure we will have lots of ideas once the festival is done, call us back in September!
