TESS

Tess is a groundbreaking circus adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. 

An ensemble of performers weave together Hardy’s words and the extreme physicality of circus to tell this tale of power, loss and endurance. 

Against a backdrop of projections, the cast wield wooden planks, climb shifting walls and move through ropes and swathes of linen to evoke the vast landscapes and interior worlds of Hardy’s Wessex. 

It is a story which still has extraordinary relevance for our times in its incredibly nuanced evocation of female relationships, sexual desire, consent, privilege and poverty. 

This retelling captures the beauty, heartbreak and yearning of the novel and draws upon the incredible strength of the circus body to create a Tess as heroic as Hardy intended. 

“Captivating and exhilarating, this production is hypnotic and teeming with physical creativity. Unmissable.” Everything Theatre

“Ingenious, an inspired adaptation”  The Stage

“A coming together of talents to make something quite special out of one of the cornerstones of the literary canon. The sheer level of talent and ingenuity displayed by the cast brings us to our feet” StageTalk

“Beautifully rendered, richly directed - the level of fidelity to Hardy’s novel and attention to detail is astonishing.”  Lou Reviews