Review from: Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh Festival Fringe; 16th August 2025
Seven acrobats. 30 metres of rope. Melbourne circus company One Fell Swoop created this ensemble piece in 2017, and it is their debut production… that has toured for nine years. Yup. Nine years. That’s no mean feat for a debut show, so it makes sense for One Fell Swoop to finally present By a Thread at the Edinburgh Fringe. As most of my preferred circus shows are at the Assembly Roxy this year, I’m back in the vaulted central hall, admiring the white rope lit in a purple wash as two pulleys suspend it from the ceiling.
The description suggests a show centred around a single simple concept, flawless and artistic… and in many ways it is that. From the first second, it’s clear this is a well-oiled production. The white rope is styled into neat geometric shapes, the acrobats wear the unofficial uniform of contemporary circus – jeans and a white top – and the group choreography is tightly woven. But luckily, the show’s direction is also extremely creative and playful, and not afraid to break the newly established rules (like attaching straps to the end of the rope). The development of the concept has clearly been thorough – and that makes sense, with nine years of working with it under their belts. The rope becomes a tightrope, a trampoline, a cloud swing, a trapeze, a bungee.
We see metaphors a-plenty with the rope of course. It gets to trap, to counterbalance, to run out dramatically. And the company’s research has clearly found a lot more than translating other aerial disciplines to a rope and pulley. For example, one cast member standing on the foot of another, who hangs by a foot on the rope. It feels like the slick production values haven’t tempered the sense of glee and curiosity in finding all of these ways to use the equipment together.
I also have the joy of sitting next to the most enthusiastic audience members in the room, and I absolutely live through their amazement for the whole time. During the hand to hand duet in the show, performed by two female-presenting acrobats (Cassia Jamieson and Nina Robertson), my seat-neighbours almost lose it. “Jaysus no!” one of them cries as the flyer stands neatly on the base’s sternum, the base arching her back slightly. This solid demonstration of the strengths of women (and acro-balance technique) makes me super happy. Despite knowing there are plenty of female acro-bases in the world, the duet is oddly emotionally compelling. I have a couple of tears in my eyes after it. The woman sitting next to me lets out a big sigh of relief when it’s over. I want to watch it again immediately.
A group handstand choreography is also really fun to watch, culminating in the end of the rope being passed from foot to foot of the handstanders, who are in a long line holding their straddle handstands solidly. At the end of this section, the rope is passed from foot to hand, in a one arm handstand. As an amateur handstand enthusiast I am much more impressed by this feat than my neighbours – probably the only moment during the show that I make an involuntary oooh noise.
This is a technically impressive show, with a neat concept that has been extensively explored. But more than that, it has heart and humour. In one scene, everyone fights over the rope and getting to be the one climbing it; it’s not an original idea, but it feels natural, showing the chemistry between the ensemble. It’s charming and cheeky and relatable, even if you’re not an aerialist. Perhaps the best example is the opening scene – we are set up with the beautifully lit image of the rope being pulled down by the company together, but it’s interrupted by a squeal of delight and a cast member swinging out over the audience. It’s a joy, and so is By a Thread. I just hope it doesn’t take nine years for One Fell Swoop to come back to Edinburgh with another show.
CREDITS:
Performed by: Charice Rust, Jonathan Morgan, Nina Robertson, Cassia Jamieson, Latonya Wiggington, Easa Min-Swe, Ellie Grow
Directed by Jonathan Morgan and Charice Rust
Dramaturgy by Zebastian Hunter
Lighting Design by AfterDark Theatre
Sound Design by Lee Stout
Original Costume Design by Emily Barrie
Additional Costume Design by Stephanie Neoh
Photos and videography by Aaron Walker Photography
