Breathless show casts a magical spell

Bells and Spells, Warwick Arts Centre, May 22 only. It’s hard to categorise this show – is it theatre, dance, illusion, circus or a series of disappearing acts? When it’s so constantly amazing, it is certainly magical. Aurélia Thierrée is the star of this 70-minute show directed by her mother, Victoria Thierrée Chaplin (daughter of Charlie). Alongside Aurelia is Jaime Martinez as a character in a picture who comes to life, and together they dance a variety of styles, seamlessly, only for her to steal away from him, concealing herself as part of the furniture. That sets the scene for the rest of the show: Aurélia disappears in a revolving door, in an artwork that has come to life, and in washing on a line, in ways that are very clever and not at all obvious. Her blink-of-an-eye costume changes - in to and out of an outfit she is stealing of course - while in the middle of the stage, are also pretty stunning. At a venue she is trying to con her way into, she lurks around the entrance when she sees the distraught Jaime approaching, then turns herself (with the help of a coathanger for a beak) into a bird, and then with coats, and a coat stand for antlers, into a larger beast to elude him. And as the pair reunite and ballet dance through a forest of coat stands the weather worsens - but Jaime ingeniously creates a large beast on which Aurélia escapes from the wood, now taking us into the realm of animatronics. The show is a breathless sequence of short interlinked scenes, all relying on perfect timing and precise movements, which leave the audience open mouthed at the cleverness and skill of it all.

If you ever get the chance to see this, don’t miss out on a very special night of entertainment.

For tickets go to: www.warwickartscentre.co.uk