A man who turns into a spider. Aerial acts above the audiences’ heads. Zip lines running from one end of the theater to the other.
No, this isn’t “Spider-Man,” but a new aerial show from the Williamsburg-based Grounded Aerial, running at the Brooklyn Lyceum from April 26 to 29.
“Beyond that, zilch, there’s just no correlation,” said Karen Fuhrman, creator of the aerial show “Insectinside.” “And no one ever got hurt with Grounded Aerial.”
“Insectinside” is five years in the making, an aerial play featuring dancers from “Pilobolus,” “Cirque Du Soleil,” “The Metropolitan Opera,” and “De La Guarda” that take on the forms of praying mantises, spiders, luna moths, and ants to tell the story of one man’s descent into insanity.
“It’s about a confused, schizophrenic man, and his world in his head is reenacted on stage,” said Fuhrman.
The psychical acts are sure to make viewers “ooh” and “ahh” — especially with stilt-walkers and a silk artist who falls 25 feet — but Fuhran hopes the story is equally engaging.
“It’s not spectacle for spectacle’s sake — it’s a play in the air,” said the artist. “The story is ultimately about awareness, on an individual and community level.”
“Insectinside” at the Brooklyn Lyceum [227 Fourth Ave. at President Street in Park Slope, (718) 857-4816], April 26-29 at 8 pm. Tickets $15 in advance, $18 at the door. For info, visit www.brooklynlyceum.com.
