Physical theatre meets poetry and beat-boxing in this small but neatly put-together show conceived by Inua Ellams and directed by Benji Reid. It explores the lives of a team of young UK basketball players, on and off court, with an exceptional, vigorous grace. In the US, basketball stars make a fortune, but here it remains more of a subculture. One of the questions the show poses is: why are those who kick rewarded so much more than those who throw? There’s a nice moment when a mother bemoans her son’s prowess for basketball, wishing it was for football.
Combining physical and verbal poetry, the show creates an opportunity to get inside the heads of each of the players at the intense moments of triumph and disappointment. It magnifies not just the beauty of the game itself, but the emotions of those playing it.
We see arrogance (“I’m so fast even my own shadow can’t touch me”), insecurity and, on occasion, joy and absurdity, too. There is a cheeky wit here, and the show never takes itself too seriously, even when drawing cleverly on the ancient myths of Prometheus and Icarus.
Basketball players may look like gods, and strive to become legends, but the sport takes a terrible toll on the body. Young men limp down the street on ankles hobbled by their attempts to reach for the sun. This is a multilayered piece that should appeal to all ages, performed by an engaging cast, and boasting a terrific beat-boxing soundtrack. Fun, and sometimes unexpectedly moving, too.
• Touring until 6 June. See fueltheatre.com
