The Forgotten / L’Oublié(e) is a majestic piece of circus theatre from Raphaëlle Boitel and Compagnie L’Oublié(e) exploring themes of grief, institutionalisation and intergenerational relationships.

The company aims to push the boundaries of contemporary circus theatre by creating abstract visual worlds which combine aerial and dance.

A man dies and a woman grieves, rushing back through memories to try to retrieve what they have lost; Orpheus battling through a monochrome underworld as four ages of the same woman – often simultaneously represented onstage by the compelling performers.

The piece collides several influences to create a series of visual moments including Pina Bausch and Robert Wilson, using the technical elements of the staging playfully, controlling the audience’s attention in such a large performance space by just lighting a small square of the performance, then suddenly opening out into a grand stage picture.

It is these beautiful pictures that should be celebrated.

The Forgotten has a small cast for a production of such a huge scope and they struggle to provide the energy needed to connect the audience with the ideas explored onstage. The piece lacks an emotional engagement with the audience, which will divide opinion as to the success of the work.

Four stars