Review: Ockham’s Razor at HOME is ‘full of wow moments, magic and beauty’

It is becoming increasingly difficult to stage new work, without having a hook to the past. Familiar IP sells, as the audience come along knowing the initial story, or at least the characters. You have to admire Ockham’s Razor, as they completely avoid a simple retread.

Their work encompasses the thrill of circus and the beauty of movement.

Ockham’s Razor – Tess at HOME

This might seem like an odd mix and because Tess is essentially a tragedy, you would be right to enter HOME with a certain amount of cynicism.

How can you juggle an intricate plot like this one, with the dazzling visuals and stunts that the audience will expect?

But then something magical starts to happen, as Hanora Kamen begins to narrate this heartbreaking tale. The cast begin to climb the simple set design, sitting on each other’s shoulders and they build a wooden house before your very eyes.

The pleasures of the great outdoors

Aideen Malone’s sun kissed lighting design is striking and is reminiscent of Peter Weir’s hypnotic film Witness, as Harrison Ford’s character finds himself enjoying the simple pleasures of the great outdoors. We feel the blood, sweat and tears as Tess and her family put out the washing, climb walls, navigate stormy weather both outside and within the home. One scene featuring Tess’s drunken father attempting to walk is given more than a sway, as he is hanging from the rafters.

Characters are defined by the circus skills of the cast and this is subtly done. For the most part there is no dialogue beyond our narrator. We have two Tess’s; one tells the story and the other lives it.

A huge Cyr wheel becomes a symbol of arrogance and posture, and Joshua Frazer circles around the stage with fearless dexterity. You never really sense the danger because there is something completely dreamlike about this production. It feels like you are waking up mid-dream. And you are not sure what is reality and what still sits in your head from the night before.

Daniel Denton’s video design

Daniel Denton’s video design gives the piece an epic feel of cinema meets literature and provides a grand backdrop for the unpredictable journey that awaits the giggly and playful Tess we first meet as a child, filled with optimism and wide-eyed wonder.

There are times when the pace does slow down to such an extent that your mind may begin to wander. A house is built before your very eyes, but then it is taken down and there is nothing else for you to focus on. So, it does take your mind off the plot, and it begins to feel a bit mechanical. The complexities of a classic story like this one mean there are times when you do miss the nuances of characters reacting to dialogue.

But there is something added to the mix that works wonderfully well.

And it is the sense of female empowerment. Seeing female performers literally lift each other up in a text which features rape and inequality is not only welcome, but it means that the piece is not quite as bleak as you might expect.

The second half moves way too fast, and you may miss some of the tragic elements taking place, as there is simply too much to pack in, without more ballet style movement to convey the emotional rollercoaster that the protagonist goes through.

But as Lila Naruse poignantly climbs the ropes conveying the delicacy of life and she uses this structure as a cradle, you are reminded of the importance of celebrating the small wins in life where something beautiful takes place.

What could have been bleak and depressing becomes something far richer and rewarding.

And, for the most part Ockham’s Razor – Tess provides you with wow moments, mixed with quiet contemplation.

Tickets for Ockham’s Razor – Tess at HOME

Ockham’s Razor – Tess is at HOME until Saturday 7th June, and you can book tickets here