Performed by five high-fliers of British Circus Theatre, Tipping point was an intimate and exhilarating show of contemporary aerial art.

Ockham’s Razor, the young aerial company, named themselves after a logical principle attributed to medieval philosopher William of Ockham. He stated that between two plausible theories, the simpler is preferable, and the ‘razor’ cuts out unnecessary elements. “As a company, we work with this simple approach”. However, the simplicity of the aerial equipment defied the complexity of the interactions and timings of the group who “create stories from the vulnerability, trust and reliance between people in the air”.

Produced by Turtle Key Arts, this one-hour show began with the five performers slinking on stage gazing intently at the audience seated in intimate seats around the performance space - a homage to traditional circus. One of the long poles from the act was then used to draw a perfect circle in chalk, “a potent and symbolic act,” which marked out their arena.

Up to five poles were carried, suspended, spun, see-sawed, climbed and slid down in a series of feats that had close onlookers mesmerised and unnervingly immersed in the circle as the poles threatened to knock in to them as they spun closely past.

Cooperation between performers was key to acts with moments of feigned betrayal in blind trust exercises. Communication was mostly silent with elements of mime and comedic moments of over-flowing emotion. The three male and two female performers, each had ample space to shine individually before returning to an interconnected holistic body.

The unique and magical music from composers Adem Ilhan and Quinta perfectly complemented the show’s spiritual and playful elements in which the poles themselves were sometimes integrated to form a transforming, organic, art installation.

As the performers left the stage, a hypnotic pole pendulum, sprinkling chalk circles, retained the crowd