Choreography by Hayley Earlam

Produced by Isy Sharman

Review by Dominic Corr

Information

With the frost departing Edinburgh, for some, the last thing on their minds would be a visit to the coolness and celebration of winter found with Brrr, an enchanting sensory installation and live performance of light, sound, and movement from award-winning Scottish dance artist Hayley Earlam. In reality, this wander through winter is precisely what many of us could benefit from, particularly those for whom the piece has been created specifically for: audiences with complex needs aged 10-18 (and their carers).

Developed in collaboration with Capital Theatres, and supported by Creative Scotland, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Innovation Studio, as well as The Work Room’s Residency Programme, Brr locates the thread of warmth and humanity in the coldest of settings – and reminds of the impact of the ice and snow, the feel of frost, and it’s clean, if chilly embrace, which can speak with the body and spirit in a way the sun could only dream.

Often an overwhelming time of year, when festivities and social gatherings collide head-on with bundled-up scarves and snipping winds, it can be disruptive for anyone – especially those for whom overstimulation or discomfort occurs more regularly. When the whole of the theatre-verse is filled with loud noises and the intensity of pantomime, Earlam’s Brrr is a profoundly accessible piece; gentle and responsive, while offering a different concept of winter away from the glitter and lights: reflecting on the lights conjured in the heavens, and the fluttering snowfall cascading down.

The entire experience is conducted within a large, inflatable igloo/dome, easily transportable between venues (from theatre spaces to schools and community centres), and thus nails the accessibility of the installation: where audiences who cannot travel to the theatre have the power of art brought to them. And in today’s performance, to see these younger audience members shift and engage with the performance, even with just minor verbal confirmations or eye movement – Brrr is a much-needed, and deeply special piece – aided by co-performers Kiel Jonathan Clarke-Davis and Clare Adams, who put in delicate, and intricate work.

Fascinatingly, the show has a flow which is meticulous yet free; it feels natural and almost ‘unrehearsed’ in the manner the trio move in the choreographed sequences, interacting with tubing, lighting, and small tactile snowballs. But there’s a consistent awareness of the installation’s nature: where one another are, which audience members may need more attention, or a break from direct interaction. For as natural as Earlam makes the choreography look, they, Adams, and Clarke-Davis are constantly aware of the space, and provide rounded choreography with purpose, and communication to both audience and one another, which captures the sharpness, and individual nature of the elements we associate with winter: from puncturing ice, to silken snow.

Every element is interactive in some manner – from the mattresses and soft cushioning, to the snowballs which provide a tactile element and makeshift fidget-toy – Jenny Booth’s design captures a winter wonderland without the ludicrous price-point of the city marketplaces. It’s tied in with Rob Willoughby’s videography and Ollie Hawker’s composition which enables a tranquil projection of colour and sound to wrap around the space; almost mirroring the movement of the performers in ways – light, pointed, but swirling and often inwardly moving in a comforting manner: here, movement is as much an expressive tool as it is a embracing one.

While many shun winter’s colder embrace, Brrr captures that inherent ardour that the sector is often lacking in its inclusiveness. There’s a beautiful irony in turning the coldest parts of the year into one of the warmest and most welcoming of installations – capturing the sensory beauty which other seasons cannot compete with. A shared experience, one of learning from and about, Brrr is a model for how the entire industry should function: not solely a strong example of how individual productions should be conducted.

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