Sasha Krohn’s powerful visual exploration of the rapid decline of mental health
The Weight of Shadow – pushing the boundaries of performance and perception
“What inspired me to get into physical theatre was a longer journey from music to dance to aerial acrobatics,” explains Sasha Krohn.
His latest show, ‘The Weight of Shadow’, a powerful visual exploration of the rapid decline of mental health, is coming to the Civic on June 26.
Inspired by Sasha’s fiancée, the performance uses an evocative blend of dance, mime, and aerial acrobatics to express the emotional and psychological turmoil of a psychiatric patient.
Sasha is an interdisciplinary artist based in Wexford whose work spans aerial acrobatics, dance, mime, physical theatre, visual art, and music.
With over 14 years of experience, Sasha’s creative journey is rooted in the art of movement and storytelling, shaped by global performance and deep collaborative practice.
He has performed across Russia, Japan, and Europe, refining his craft through both training and performances with acclaimed companies such as Punchdrunk, DV8, 45 Degrees (Cirque du Soleil) and more.
“Sasha’s journey into physical theatre began when he met a French physical theatre performer when he was 19, who gave him the inspiration to tell stories with his body.”
By this, Sasha means there has to be a point to every movement: “There is no point in Hamlet doing a backflip.”
“Why am I doing it?” is Sasha’s central question to his work as he considers the purpose of each performance and what story he wishes to tell.
He has been working in physical theatre for the last 10 years, 15 years altogether, as the first few years were for training and circus performances.
He first debuted ‘The Weight of Shadow’ in 2024 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it was met with critical acclaim.
“Plans are underway for a national and international tour in 2025–26, alongside a new collaborative project with Simon Gleave (Jeudi/Flabbergast Theatre/David Glass Ensemble), named ‘cAnarY’, about 2 coal miners.”
“Currently, he is an associate artist with Flabbergast Theatre and is working with the David Glass Ensemble on their upcoming production ‘Holy Dirt’, about female eco-warriors, until the end of July.”
He would like to thank his fiancée Siana and Henry Maynard from Flabbergast for their help with this production.
Sasha’s work continues to push the boundaries of performance and perception, creating transformative experiences that resonate across cultures and mediums.
‘The Weight of Shadow’ comes to the Civic on June 26 at 1pm; age suitability is 12 years and over.
