SKYDIVE

"Skydive" is the story of two brothers who fulfill a childhood pact by going skydiving together. The action of the play takes place during the fated skydiving attempt, where the perception of time is distorted and their 30 second free-fall turns into a retrospective that takes the audience through the events leading up to the dive.

The meat of the play is the relationship between the brothers as they explore moments from their childhood, diving into the experiences and the imagination that has shaped them. As the metaphoric gap between these grown up boys is bridged, so are their physical bodies as they hurtle towards the ground.

Of course the coolest thing about the show is that the characters fly; they are suspended above the stage for the entire 90 minutes. The devices used to make the characters fly were quite interesting: they are attached to what looks like a mechanical arm; a simple device called an ES Dance Instrument. The actors attached to the device become like puppets, as the operators perform complex choreographed movements using the actors bodies. The opening sequence, where the audience first sees the brothers in their skydiving free fall, is quite exhilarating.

The movement and choreography are the most captivating elements of this production. The story is strong; however I did not find the script particularly humourous, nor am I amused by countless 80's references. The technical elements were flawless, including a somewhat dark and shadowy lighting design, which at first I thought was a hindrance (because the darkness in a large space such as the NAC Theatre made it harder for me to engage - especially in the more light hearted bits) by the end I understood as a meaningful device. The sound design was particularly amazing, (and I'm not necessarily talking about the 80s music, although it was fun); there was a specific scene with a mosquito that really did sound like it was buzzing around the stage and even into the audience. The follow spots on the actors as they were in mid-air were also quite spectacular.

Realwheels Theatre is the company who brought this show to Mangnetic North. They are a Vancouver based company whose mandate is to "deepen the audience's understanding of the disability experience". Their innovative approach removes barriers not only for audiences, but in this case for the paraplegic who flies. Cleverly, the paratherapy this character repeatedly refers to as helping his brother, is also conceivably what he is undergoing as he’s able to soar above the stage.

Visually, I'd say this show is like nothing I've ever seen. The script is mildly entertaining and the relationship between the men is almost entirely believable. The beginning and the ending of the show are the two best parts; the middle bit gets a bit long. And there are elements of the story, such as the boys’ relationship with their mother, which are introduced but never fully explored. This show is worth seeing - if only for the technical elements (did I mention there's a flying paraplegic?)

Rating: W
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Skydive is on as part of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival, and runs June 4 - 7.