Fringe review: TEN THOUSAND HOURS, Assembly Hall

Photo credit: Darcy Grant

Australian acrobatic troupe Gravity & Other Myths (GOM) last appeared in Edinburgh in 2022 when they took the Edinburgh International Festival by storm with their large-scale productions MACRO and The Pulse in Murrayfield Stadium and the Edinburgh Playhouse. This year, they’re back with a smaller, more intimate, but no less impressive show, Ten Thousand Hours, as part of the Fringe Festival.

The title of this work refers to the old adage that if one spends ten thousand hours practicing something, one will master it. Whether that exact statistic is true remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say that the eight acrobats and one musician that make up the company are undoubtedly masters of their crafts, and we get to spend a breathtaking hour watching them at work.

GOM’s unique blend of acrobatic excellence, wit and jaw-dropping stunts is on full display here. One moment, the audience is gasping at a gravity-defying trick with acrobats stacked three high atop each other’s shoulders; the next, we’re laughing at some charming improvised segments led by audience participation. Sometimes tricks don’t go as planned, and the section when two acrobats run the same routine ten times in a row is a particularly eye-opening glimpse into the work these talented athletes put in to their craft, and reminds us of just how difficult these stunts are – sometimes they make it look so effortless that it’s easy to forget!

A simple digital display of numbers makes up the backdrop, sometimes counting time, sometimes counting successful tricks, and sometimes displaying abstract lights and shapes. The electronic, percussive score really helps to punctuate the incredible stunts and create a cohesive audiovisual experience. A particular highlight is the extended ‘bottle flip’ sequence, which is so cleverly put together and has the audience gasping and cheering in turn at every flip, leap and throw.

This is an absolute work of art – the company are phenomenally talented athletes at the peak of their abilities and they work as one to create an outstanding hour of excellence that has to be seen to be believed. At times, it seems like gravity really is a myth to these artists, and the standing ovation they deservedly received indicated that the rest of the audience seemed to think so too!

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Lorna Murray

Ten Thousand Hours plays at Assembly Hall until 24 August, with further info here.