Rhum & Clay’s Man in the Moone is a well-honed devised production full of big ideas and asking even bigger questions. Rhum & Clay were founded at the École Jacques Lecoq in 2010, and this training is clearly reflected in the skilled physicality and playful style of the piece. Centring on the theme of man’s desire to get to the moon, there is much to explore about humanity here, and the performance is peppered with references to past historical attempts, from Galileo to the 1960s space race. Such weighty history is explored in a style so charming and irreverent that it makes for compelling viewing, as aspects of clowning, multi-role playing and adept physical theatre sequences are used to great effect.

The ‘need’ driving this piece is clear, with the protagonist ‘The Man’ (Julian Spooner) having the seemingly impossible dream of living on the moon. I found that some of the most effective scenes occurred in the first half, where The Man dreams of escape whilst trying to function in a suffocating office environment which is beautifully executed by an ensemble cast comprised of Christopher Harrison, Daniel Wilcox and Matthew Wells. All of them are consummate performers, and it was the slick movement sequences and fast-paced set changes operated by the cast that really stood out for me. Office stereotypes were plumbed for all they were worth in a highly stylised manner, with braying city boys and enforced after-work drinks very well realised. After this, we move into more fantastical territory and here the narrative became a little harder to follow, but the skill and energy of the performers kept me engaged throughout and had me rooting for The Man to reach his goal.