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Two people. Many characters. One space. Alexander Burnett and Ellie Whittaker of Voloz Collective make a splash at the Fringe this year with The Crawl—a short, slick, and hilarious physical theatre piece that dives headfirst into the drama of a high-stakes swimming competition.
We meet a whole cast of characters including bickering commentators, snooty organisers, Chad the lifeguard and two rival swimmers. At times it genuinely feels like we are poolside, caught up in the roar of a swim meet. Burnett’s Mytha, a stone-faced Russian competitor forced to abandon his love of singing to swim under crushing family and coaching pressure, contrasts effectively with Whittaker’s Steve from England—down-to-earth, humble, and simply in love with the sport.
The dialogue is quick and clever, with direction that keeps everything moving at a buoyant pace. It’s truly impressive how convincingly these performers switch between a myriad of characters, objects, and even set pieces... using nothing but their bodies.
The piece is beautifully random, in the best way: super unique, unpredictable, and joyous. It builds to an unexpectedly touching conclusion. I laughed throughout and left thoroughly impressed. Everything Voloz Collective brings to the Fringe is a masterclass in physical theatre—this show is no exception.
The Crawl is at 10 Dome until 25 August
Photo Credit: The Crawl
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