Ockham’s Razor: Collaborator – The Lowry, Salford.

Directors: Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney

“Circus couples are a pain in the arse,” Charlotte Mooney tells us right at the start of the show. It’s a blunt but enlightening glimpse into circus life, and a widely held belief that romantic partners don’t exactly play well together. Which makes it all the more interesting that Mooney and Alex Harvey fell in love 24 years ago, and, despite vowing never to work together, have been doing precisely that ever since.

The pair went on to form Ockham’s Razor and have spent the years making and performing critically acclaimed circus shows. When their daughter arrived ten years ago, they would eventually step back from performing and focus on directing instead. But when asked whether they would no longer perform, they decided to bring out the talc bowl one last time, just to see if they’d still got it, and I’m more than happy to confirm they do!

Collaborator is a duo performance which reflects back not just on their working relationship, but also their romantic relationship and triumphs and tribulations that go with both.

Opening with a beautiful, yet quite comedic routine which sees the pair work together on a specially constructed trapeze. The pair use each other to navigate the cubed shaped trapeze, and highlights the thrill and excitement of a new partnership, and the importance of trust and reliance on each other needed  to make it work. The mold and curl round each other, gliding between their individuality and them becoming one unit, it feels both raw, and intimate.

The show takes a look at the struggles that can impact any relationship, from the mundane to the unexpected. This is achieved in various ways: from floor ground based, mime work, a dance routine, and the use of mechanics and props, including various pendulums, and later back to the trapeze. 

As impressive as the pair’s physicality is, it’s matched by their storytelling. There are sequences that lay bare their frustrations with one another, balanced by moments that show just how deeply they depend on each other, how one will always step in and pick up the slack when needed. It’s tender, honest, and a brilliant example of storytelling without a single word being spoken during that particular sequence.

There are always other forces at play in any collaborative effort, and thankfully Ockham’s Razor have a solid ally in Holly Khan, who oversees much of the sound and production design and helps bring the show fully to life. It’s her musical compositions that really stand out: playful and warm, occasionally melancholic, and perfectly matched to Harvey and Mooney’s storytelling.

This short performance packs in an astonishing amount of fragility and passion. It moves you, but also leaves plenty of space for reflection. It highlights the highs and lows, and the sheer hard work required to make any joint venture succeed. When it all clicks, the result can be something as captivating as this.

If this really is Harvey and Mooney’s final piece together as performers, then what a way to bow out.

Collaborator is at the Lowry until 7th February