Review: Double You, Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury, UK

bOing! International Family Festival 2026

A Spectacular Display of Physicality, Precision and Play.

Stepping into the performance space for Be Flat’s Double You at the bOing! Festival

immediately sets up a very unusual setup. The seating area is split in two by a large fabric wall, with the audience sitting in rows on both sides. From where you sit, you can only see your half of the room, while the other side is completely hidden. This instantly makes you curious about what is happening on the other side.

Five talented performers work on both sides at the same time. Even though the audiences cannot see each other, they can hear everything. Laughter, music, movement, and cushions being thrown across the space create a constant sense of fun and curiosity. You start wondering: What are they doing over there? Are they having more fun than us? It is a simple idea, but it gives you a very real feeling of missing out.

The show is a wonderful mix of circus tricks, acrobatics, dance, and physical theatre. The performers move smoothly through parkour, hand balancing, Chinese pole climbing, and jumping. There is also a strong sense of play throughout the show, which keeps the mood light and fun, especially for children.

What stands out the most is how precise the performers are and their interacting with the audience. Every movement looks completely natural and effortless, but you can tell a huge amount of practice and control went into it and carefully measured they are. Whether they are balancing, climbing, throwing, jumping or moving together, there is a remarkable level of trust and coordination between them. Music is also an important part of Double You. The performers play different musical instruments throughout the show, the sound was part of the performance.

The dividing wall becomes an important part of the story. It shows the boundary between the two groups and plays with ideas of perspective and curiosity. When the wall finally comes down, the two halves of the audience come together, and the feeling changes instantly into one shared experience. The final part of the show, featuring exciting tightrope walking, physical skills, and group music, brings the whole performance together in a thrilling way.

Double You is special because it makes us laugh, listen, imagine, compare, and wonder. Children, in particular, seem to enjoy the playful energy a lot, responding with plenty of laughter, excitement, and curiosity.

Reviewer: Kanta Biswas

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Collective: Thomas Decaesstecker, Mehdi Delanoeije, Ward Mortier, Dario Tabakov, Tars Van Der Vaerent

Lighting Design: David Carney

Technical Team: Elise Reculeau, Bartira Pereira

Costume: Ella Courvoisier, Perrine Ritter

Video: Zaur Kourazov

Venue & Performance Date: Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury | 29 August 2026