A breathtaking fusion of theatre and aerial artistry, Belle transforms the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre into a world of light, shadow, and sound. With an all-female cast showcasing extraordinary strength and a stunning design by Malia Johnston, Rowan Pierce, and Eden Mulholland, this atmospheric wonder is an unforgettable Festival highlight.
Belle – A Performance of Air is unlike anything you've likely seen before. It’s the kind of performance that challenges the very concept of what a show can be, blending theatre, aerial acrobatics, and multimedia elements into something undeniably creative and totally unusual. For those who love art that pushes boundaries, it’s a mesmerizing experience that will linger in your mind long after the lights go down. But, for others, it might leave you scratching your head, wondering what exactly just happened, as its lack of narrative and often chaotic atmosphere may disappoint those seeking a more traditional, structured performance.
From the moment the show begins, Belle makes it clear that it’s not concerned with conventionality. The Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre is transformed into a surreal world, where light, smoke, and sound become just as important as the performers themselves. An all-female cast of aerial artists and dancers occupies the stage, moving with incredible skill and strength in a space that’s defined more by atmosphere than by set pieces.
The creative team behind Belle—choreographer Jenny Ritchie, lighting designer Rowan Pierce, composer Eden Mulholland, and the rest—have clearly set out to create something visually and sonically immersive. There’s a heavy emphasis on mood and atmosphere, with the performance evolving through abstract, sensory-driven experiences rather than following any cohesive storyline. The soundscape shifts dramatically, from electronic, almost alien-like noises to violin melodies and vocal lines, always at least a little off-kilter, adding to the feeling of discomfort. It’s a deliberate choice to create an environment that feels otherworldly, where the familiar becomes strange and unsettling.
The performance’s movement is erratic yet captivating. There’s a certain raw energy to the aerial acrobatics, but they aren’t always the focal point. At times, only glimpses of a leg or a head can be seen through the mist, as if the dancers are more part of the environment than separate entities. It’s a visual choice that feels more about creating texture and mood than showcasing feats of strength or precision. This unfiltered, almost chaotic style of movement can be confusing at first. The dancers don’t seem to follow a specific rhythm or pattern, as though they’re lost in a dream—or perhaps trying to escape one. At times, it feels unstructured, like a stream of consciousness unfolding onstage.
However, as the performance progresses, there’s a strange beauty to this disjointed chaos. The transitions between different segments are impressively seamless, with lighting guiding the audience’s attention from one scene to the next, often without us even realizing when it’s happened. It’s like waking up from a dream where all the details are blurry, yet you know something profound has occurred.
There’s a definite rhythm to the dissonance, and if you’re someone who embraces avant-garde art or experimental theatre, this will likely speak to you. But if you’re expecting more polished, traditional acrobatics or a coherent narrative, you might find the lack of direction frustrating. The absence of a clear story or central theme makes it feel like the performance exists more as an exploration of movement and atmosphere than as a structured show.
A standout element of the performance is its use of lighting and smoke to create an ever-shifting environment. The stage becomes a canvas for the performers to interact with, with light used not just to illuminate, but to distort and reshape space. Horizontal beams of light spill across the stage, creating layers of moving clouds, while vertical shafts of light cut through the smoke, turning the dancers into fleeting silhouettes. Sometimes, the minimal lighting is so restrained that only parts of the performers’ bodies are visible, adding to the sense of mystery and making it feel as if they are emerging from or vanishing into thin air.
The smoke, combined with these lighting techniques, helps to partition the space and blur the lines between the performers and their surroundings. One moment, the stage feels vast and open; the next, it’s entirely enclosed by swirling fog and shifting lights. This constant flux of space and light creates a feeling of instability, like the rules of the world onstage are constantly in motion, never quite settling into anything familiar.
If there’s one word to describe A Performance of Air, it’s “artsy”—and I mean that in both the best and sometimes most frustrating ways. It’s definitely a performance for those who are looking for something creative and unusual, something that breaks away from tradition and conventions. For many, this kind of abstraction will be mesmerizing, allowing them to get lost in the atmosphere and appreciate the artistry of movement and design. The seamless transitions, the interplay of light and shadow, the experimental soundscape—it all comes together to form an experience that’s undeniably unique and artistic.
However, for those hoping for a more structured or accessible performance, A Performance of Air might feel bewildering. There’s no clear narrative to follow, no characters to root for, no neat resolutions. The entire piece is metaphorical, a collection of abstract moments meant to evoke emotions rather than tell a traditional story. It’s a performance that leans heavily on its atmosphere and creative expression, which can be alienating if you’re not fully on board with that approach.
There’s also a sense of restraint to the acrobatics, which, while still impressive, are often obscured by the minimal lighting. You can see flashes of incredible strength, but they don’t come across in the way you might expect from a typical aerial show. The performers’ skill is undeniable, but it often feels like the choreography is more about mood and texture than about showcasing individual feats. For some, this will be part of the performance’s charm, while for others, it might leave them wanting more.
Belle – A Performance of Air is definitely a show that will spark conversation, whether it leaves you in awe or scratching your head. For those who love avant-garde, experimental theatre, it’s a captivating, sometimes bewildering journey that pushes the boundaries of what performance can be. The combination of aerial acrobatics, sound, light, and movement creates something unusual and thought-provoking, an experience that doesn’t necessarily want you to understand everything—but to feel it instead.
Belle - A Performance of Air runs from 6-9 March, 2025
Venue: Kiri Te Kanawa, Aotea Centre
Duration: 1 hour
Tickets can be purchased here