Idiot 300x300{extravote 5} One of the joys of the Edinburgh Fringe is getting the unexpected, which is certainly what Igor Urzelai's and Moreno Solinas's Idiot-Syncrasy delivers in spades (alongside a free shot of whisky). While repetition and minimalism are not for everyone, this show has rewards in store, and not just in liquid form.

 

The blurb for Idiot-Syncrasy says little about the work besides folk songs and jumping, and true enough, the show starts with them singing a folk song, slowly building up movement while they sing, and by the time the song ends, they're bouncing up and down on the spot. And they continue to do so for most of the show.

How do you make repetition work in a show like this? Answer: by making it part of the piece, not the whole piece. The bouncing becomes the background of the piece, and a source of humour as we see both men undress and Igor tidying up and taking away the clothes without ever breaking rhythm.

The bouncing also explores the relationship between the two dancers: when they bounce in unison, when one breaks away, disappears offstage, reappears or even when they start making their way into the audience to bounce at the audience members.

Later, the bouncing develops into more complex choreography; the audience gets to appreciate the journey it's taken for the movement to develop during the course of the show.

Idiot-Syncrasy is entertaining and different, and engages you with waiting (and wanting) to see what they do next; it may be an intense and sometimes challenging show to watch, but worth it: this is minimalism done well - with Kasper Hansen's set a key part of what makes the show work so well.

There's a moment towards the end where we see the physical toll the show takes on them, physically and emotionally; at least, that's how it appears, and it's a very touching, human moment.

Idiot-Syncrasy is certainly full of imagination and originality, and it's easy to see why it has been enjoying so much popularity in Europe. But with Igor and Moreno bouncing nonstop for most of an hour, it's no wonder they're only doing this show on alternate days.


Idiot-Syncrasy is at Summerhall on alternate days at 4.20pm.
Details: festival15.summerhall.co.uk/event/idiot-syncrasy
Tickets: tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/idiot-syncrasy
Running time: 60 mins