DANCERS will be suspended from the ceiling and use low-level flying and aerial stunts for a "brave, audacious and exhilarating" show to be staged in Malvern.

Specialising in extreme physical theatre, the Motionhouse Dance company will kick-off its UK tour with Perfect, a new production, at Malvern Theatres next month.

It will be performed in and around a specially constructed steel frame in the middle of the stage, which will be covered in sand that has been triple washed to give it a glowing look and texture.

Shadows and silhouettes will play off a white muslin backdrop and the projection of still and moving images will be used to give the effect of time being suspended or moving on.

"Dancing on sand in this production is really different," said Vanessa Cook, one of the dancers performing in Perfect.

"Usually my feet are pretty nasty but working on sand acts as a great exfoliator! We all get really filthy rolling around in it and it gets absolutely everywhere; in your ears, toes, nose - it's even in your bed in the morning despite vigorous showering!"

Artistic director Kevin Finnan added: "Perfect is exactly the kind of work I want to make.

"The dynamics of it have an ebb and flow giving the viewer time to reflect on and react to the onstage action.

"We live in a technologically rich, but time poor world, where we're constantly under pressure to be seen to be leading busy lives with hectic schedules.

"I'm intrigued by how time really has become our master - the fourth dimension that impacts on, restricts and constrains our lives at every turn. The piece is about exploring people's experiences with time, both together and alone.

"It represents a lot of research I have done on our relationship between the physical spaces we build such as houses or offices and the spaces we generate ourselves through social interaction such as relationships."

Since its formation in 1988, when the combination of dance and physical theatre was still considered as being alternative, Motionhouse has continually pushed the boundaries of daring productions and has become a leader in its field.

l Perfect will be staged at Malvern Theatres on Tuesday, October 4, at 7.30pm.

It will move on to the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) in Birmingham, on Tuesday, October 11, and Wednesday, October 12. For more information and tour dates log onto www.motionhouse.co.uk or call 01926 887052.