Finding your feet

One of the most satisfying theatrical experiences is to come away from a performance feeling you have witnessed a true honing of the craft. Off Balance International Devising Theatre Company are a group of actors that manage to achieve just that. Taking the idea of black box theatre literally to the letter, these graduates of LISPA (London International School of Performing Arts), have come together to create unique performances, such as their interpretation of the legend of Robin Hood, which was presented to critical acclaim at the 2009 Stockholm Mime Festival.

The performers all use a huge range of physical performance techniques, however their main influence for this piece in particular is their use of minimal staging space and their decision to have all actors constantly on stage and occupied. The piece actually begins with the ensemble cast carrying their tiny rectangle stage into the performance area, carried above their heads with all the reverence of coffin bearers, the stage is lowered ever-so-carefully to the floor. These actors utilise every scrap of space at their disposal – a real lesson in stagecraft.