Soap

SOAP’s international reputation is completely deserved.  The capacity audience at the Malthouse were greeted with a set of seemingly empty claw-footed bathtubs arrayed on different levels….and the audience was immediately captured as performers arose from the tubs and danced their way through a bath-time routine, with accompaniment from an operatic soprano – the ultimate singer in the shower! 

The soprano (in a series of golden costumes) sang one straight opera number from Manon Lescaut, then provided a series of bathtub-themed songs, complete with watery, soapy composer and musical puns.

A comedian/clown acted as either the link into the next act or to allow set changes to happen, including pulling a plant out of the audience, who transformed from mortally-embarrassed audience member to talented performer in the space of a heartbeat.  

What followed was a series of extraordinary routines as each member of the cast performed their particular brilliant specialty, using the bathtubs as props, as balance beams, as launching pads, and as stages.    

Gloriously talented acrobats in spectacular displays of physicality and skill, including traditional circus acts of contortionism, juggling, tumbling and balancing, with surprisingly emotional moments…and when a spray of water was turned on during aerial routines, leaving the performers suspended above the stage, drenched, with every muscle on display, stunningly beautiful.

Through all of the show there was a bubbling undercurrent of humour – every cast member seemed to be having a fantastic time performing, with obvious trust and affection between the ensemble - most overt when three of the men performed the dance of the little swans using towels and nothing else – but the playfulness of the cast showed even at the end when they were ceremoniously handed a mop each by the stage manager.  The tradition of applauding each trick during a circus routine did not detract from the thunderous applause from the audience at the end.

Alex Armstrong

Photographers: (top) Rouben Dickranian and (lower) Robert Pater.