Dance, Physical Theatre & Circus review: xoxo moongirl, Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh
xoxo moongirl, Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh * * *
High above us, her body wraps around the ropes while her dress billows from the air below, tiny pieces of paper swirling around her. It’s a truly beautiful sight, and one which indicates just how talented an artist Burgio is, and what an eye for theatricality she has.
For the previous 50 minutes, however, this is a very different show. Aside from the occasional (perfectly executed) handstand, with a stirring musical and vocal accompaniment from Melanie Hsu, Burgio mostly talks to us about her family. Growing up with an angry father and alcohol-dependent mother wasn’t easy, and Burgio clearly bears the scars. Whether these scars would be better healed in a therapy room than on a stage, is up for debate.
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Hide AdAnecdotes about fraught mealtimes and 2am phone calls are imparted, but are so masked by humour, it’s hard to enter Burgio’s world as much as we’d like to. With such a huge talent to share as a circus artist, it seems odd Burgio chose to weight her show so heavily in this direction.
Until 25 August
Kelly Apter