Review: 'Roll Play' by Simple Cypher

Simple Cypher, presented in North End, central Croydon, is a circus and hip-hop fusion featuring three dancers who blur the line between entertainment and storytelling. This act was performed as a presentation shown alongside the annual Croydinites festival. The "roll play" was a demonstration of how people can use only their bodies to tell a wordless story. Through lots of shock and laughter, the dancers engaged their audience and drew more in fascination.

Upon initial view it could only appear to be a comedy containing three men, all from different walks of life, coming together on a park bench. We see lighthearted quarrelling, dancing and some tricks leaving people in complete awe! 

The story follows three men, entering each other's space and noticing one another awkwardly; with small comic moments, leading to funny physical misunderstandings. We see them juggling white balls, interacting with each other. At first, the three handle these spheres separately, yet eventually begin throwing them into one another. This seemed as though they were building deeper connections with one another. Their synchrony really captured attention, turning a simple game into a symbol of unity. They then returned to the bench, and one dancer began to dance expressively. Honestly, it was very impressive to see someone move their body in such a manner!  The perspective then switched to the next dancer, as he skilfully juggled the bowling pins: tossing them above his head, through his armpits, under his legs. The focus then switched to the smartly dressed dancer, who appeared to have lost his job. The other men come to console him, then he was handed a large ring, which completely stole the spotlight. The dancer glided inside the cyr wheel so naturally, like a planet in orbit. He spun effortlessly, yet full of emotion. Every turn was a blur of silver and motion. The wheel seemed to pulse with his distraught heartbeat, shifting from a state of control to bursts of freedom as he balanced grace and strength in perfect harmony. This segment truly told a story.

Overall, although quite difficult to follow the storyline, everything eventually came together as a complete picture in the end, attracting pedestrians from all walks of life to pause, and come together in safety and community— a stark contrast to Croydon’s usual busy atmosphere.