Review: ‘Simple Cypher’ by Roll Play

Roll Play deliver an outdoor circus and hip-hop trio

Outdoor performances are tricky. The time of day, location and weather each influence the performance’s success in different ways. Roll Play’s second run of ‘Simple Cypher’ for Croydonites Festival took place on a sunny, temperate Saturday afternoon in front of Whitgift Centre in the heart of Croydon’s town centre – a perfect setup. 

‘Simple Cypher’ is set up as a chance encounter between three strangers, dressed in a Boilersuit, black Suit and bright blue Polo Shirt, on a bench. The performers playfully bump into each other, then pick up gestures in canon, grabbing and tapping body parts. The Boilersuit and Polo Shirt fiddle with the Suit’s briefcase, ultimately prompting the suited performer to reveal the first props. There is a ball juggling sequence, punctuated by individual dance breaks, then club juggling, basketball spinning and an aerial hoop climax. The storyline is light: the Suit is uptight and unwilling to play along until he loses his job and experiences some release (hence the impressive aerial hoop solo). It’s less clear what the evolution is for the other two performers, though they are happy to egg on the third performer throughout these developments, i.e., through pantomiming a night out with abundant shots. Technical difficulties at the end stopped the show before the encore, resulting in a slightly underwhelming and unexpected end to the heartfelt and highly physical aerial hoop dance. 

Besides external factors, what makes public performances successful is their ability to compete with the distractions of public spaces and command passerbys’ attention. On a technical level, the performers’ skills were flawless. A sizeable, though quiet crowd gathered as the performance went on.  Moments of audience participation often passed quickly, with limited time for the performers to register or build upon spectator reactions. ‘Simper Cypher’s’ pacing raises questions about the relationship between performer and audience in these settings. One wonders whether allowing more space between tricks might deepen the audience's investment in each reveal. What would happen if we were given more time to anticipate or cheer on the next moment of awe? A spinning basketball being transferred onto a pencil – perhaps because it unfolded more slowly than other moments – generated the most audible response, suggesting that suspense and build-up are as magical as the trick itself. 

‘Simple Cypher’ was performed on 11 October as part of Croydonites Festival of New Theatre 2025.