Edinburgh Fringe 2022: Muse at Assembly Rooms

After making its debut in Bogota this May, the spectacular Muse is brought to the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe by Quebecois circus company FLIP Fabrique. When the show begins, the cast members are dressed in flesh-coloured costumes, representing nakedness. When one of the women takes a bite of an apple placed on-stage, suddenly the lights turn red and the characters become aware. Clearly reminiscent of Adam and Eve’s discovery in the Garden of Eden, Muse goes on to explore a different form of “Creation”: that of the self.

The show is a unique combination of live song, theatrical sketches, dance, acrobatics, trapeze and other circus tricks. It utilises all of these art forms in order to explore gender identity and the expectations society places on men and women. The initial divide between them is displayed through the costuming: after they discover their nakedness, the characters scatter to choose clothes, but are presented only with the option of football uniforms or ballet costumes. Incorporating voiceovers of famous speeches on gender identity and freedom in both French and English, Muse sees its characters working to discover what feels right to them and break out of their moulds. 

First to do this is a male footballer, who must literally break free from the grasp of his fellow teammates in order to reach a ballet costume hanging above his head. He is raised up on a trapeze bar, where he performs beautiful, lyrical movements before finally reaching the leotard and tutu he seeks. The performer remains on the trapeze as he removes his football uniform, taking the first of many steps to become who he wishes to be. The show speaks to the possibility of female strength as well as masculine gentleness. This is displayed in a variety of ways, such as through the performance of a woman dancing on and around a pole while a musicalised version of Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise plays in the background. 

Each of the acts – from the female trapeze duet where the performers move from competitors to partners, to the burlesque drag performance in which the former footballer hangs out over the edge of the stage – references the characters’ journeys of discovery. As they become progressively more comfortable in themselves, their costumes become more colourful and sparkly. By the end of the show, they are vibrant and confident, coming together to perform a remarkably dynamic trampoline routine.

Just like the forms of art present in the show, all of the performers are very different. The people, acts and costumes, despite their dissimilarities, come together to form a coherent group with a multitude of talents. Thus, Muse illustrates to the capacity for both unity and individuality and the importance of not championing one at the expense of the other. 

Madison Sotos

Muse is at Assembly Rooms from 26^th August until 28^th August 2022. For further information or to book visit here.

For further information about Edinburgh Fringe 2022 visit the festival website here.

Watch a trailer for Muse here: