Preceded by a charming choreographed set by five local children who under the supportive direction of workshop facilitator Sharisee Tindell combined floor work and aerial silks to create a series of striking images which mirrored not only their growth in confidence and skill, but also the blossoming of a butterfly from egg to adult and the flight of a superhero from face in the crowd to caped crusader, the Edinburgh-based All or Nothing and Room 2 Manoeuvre’s co-production of Heroes is both spiritually and literally uplifting.

But, what impresses most is that both performers, the graceful Beverley Grant and the clownish Tony Mills, as well as the BSL interpreter Yvonne Strain who is as integral to the show as Natalie MacDonald is to the National Theatre of Scotland’s riotous hit My Left/Right Foot – The Musical, stamp their personalities onto the production and infuse their aerial acrobatics and contemporary dance sequences with verve, humour and character.

Whether that be as a performer chasing the spotlight, basking in the spotlight or running from the spotlight (with three steel rings of various diameters complimenting an actual spotlight); or as a fan, one minute clamouring for a selfie with the latest A-lister, the next tearing them apart and throwing them away like a half-eaten chicken leg when their shooting stars crash and burn due to disgrace, substance abuse or falling out of favour.

To describe in detail the flare and subtlety of Beverley Grant and Tony Mills’ performances, the latter of whom co-directs with Jennifer Paterson with support from lighting designer Brian Gorman, is as Ken Clarke said of Theresa May “bloody difficult” because the text is minimal and their gestures are open to interpretation. But what’s not in doubt is their talent, which is as complimentary and comical as a fine double act who at the end of a seventeen venue tour have earned the right to get one another into “another nice mess”.

Peter Callaghan
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