The Vanishing Horizon preview

Idle Motion takes you on a journey through the gateway to the globe

This article is from 2010.

On the face of it, a show by some recent Oxford graduates, about... some recent Oxford graduates who attend a book group doesn’t sound like particularly special or unusual Fringe fare. However, Borges and I, by young physical theatre company Idle Motion and featuring a set which unfolded as paper-carvings from the inside of 150 books, turned out to be one of those tiny, surprising, beautiful shows that makes the whole of August worthwhile.

This year they’re back with The Vanishing Horizon, about travel, flight, and the days when Croydon Airport was, apparently, ‘the gateway to the globe’. Accordingly, they’ve replaced the books with baggage. ‘We started with the ideas of travel and flight and were very keen to make a show using lots of suitcases, maps and paper airplanes,’ says company member Grace Chapman. ‘As old, battered suitcases began to arrive from generous neighbours with so much character in them we began to look at early aviation and the heyday of flight, particularly the pioneering female aviators. So this production really began with a pile of old suitcases!’

The Zoo, 662 6892, 8–27 Aug (not 17, 24), 6pm, £8 (£6). Previews 6 & 7 Aug, £6.