Invented in China, tangram (‘Les Sept Planches de la Ruse’ in French) is a square-shaped puzzle in which seven pieces of different shapes and sizes can be slotted together in more than two thousand different ways. In this majestic performance, accomplished choreographer Aurélien Bory has decided to see how well the game translates onto the stage.
Bory’s fantastically elaborate production is based around seven giant triangular and rectangular wooden blocks (each weighing 100-250kg), which are swept across the stage by acrobats (who have trained in the Beijing opera). Their gentle yet intricately choreographed movements make up one staggeringly complex routine.