Review: Love Machines by Kataklo **

Italian-based athletic dance company Kataklo brought a stunning sport-themed show to the Fringe 2 years ago, with the troupe performing a series of vignettes that were stunningly beautiful and visually awe-inspiring.

I therefore had high hopes for their return this year with Love Machines, a show inspired by the drawings and inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci. Indeed, their show, running at the Assembly Music Hall, is once again full of wonderful imagery, magnificent lighting and expertly-thrown shapes and poses, performed by a finely-honed and attractive cast.

However, where the previous show benefited from a series of short, varied pieces, Love Machines is hampered by a single abstract tale, told with pacing that is at times tortously slow. Two humans are visited by mysterious beings who inspire and release them from their toil and drudgery. Far too much time is spent where very little actually happens, with the characters playing the humans on stage alone for lengthy periods, striking poses and moving gracefully but never exploiting the full potential of the beautiful set, lighting and costumes.

Some moments are wonderful in terms of visuals and spectactle, but it's unfortunate that these machines seem to be set to a speed which is far too slow.

Love Machines runs until August 31st (not Mondays) at the Assembly Rooms. £13 (£12 concession)

What will it be...?

2 years ago, the show that everyone wanted to see was Fuerzabruta. Its Fringe programme entry was unremarkable, but soon the word-of-mouth spread (helped by the intensive flyering on the High Street). And it was fantastic: a memorable and unique experience that nearly everyone I spoke to saw and loved.

Last year, The Aluminum Show came close, containing that same surreal, joyous atmosphere that made you feel as though you were at a party on another planet.

So...what will it be this year?

A couple of contenders are Kataklo's return to the Fringe, after a captivating and beautiful sport-themed physical performance 3 years ago. Their Da Vinci-inspired show this year sounds as though it will be full of the same inspiring wonder as its predecessor.

The Tom Tom Crew could be another, with an explosive urban acrobatic act that at least looks as though it will have people snaking around the Udderbelly to get a glimpse of.

But I actually hope it's another under-the-radar show that unexpectedly appears - like Fuerzabruta before it - and brings everyone together in another magical experience that we will never forget.

The potential for that to happen is one of the many things which defines the Fringe for what it is. Unmissable.