As the lights go down the shadow of a hand appears on an illuminated screen – two hands; with a deft movement the hands have transformed into a bird, a rabbit, a flowing river or a man's face, and the audience are laughing, gasping and demanding to know “How does he do that?”
What is this magic of light and dark that so transfixes young and old? It is the ancient art of Hand Shadows (or Shadowgraphy) - the art of creating and animating shadow images using little more than the performer's hands. In Drew Colby's hands the artform is a source of comedy, beauty and wonder.
"Here is a performer at the top of his game, who has a fertile imagination and meticulously crafted technique. He seems to have more than two hands as he creates birds which morph into swans which become something entirely new." - Pamela Hall, The Croydon Citizen
“The audience couldn’t help but clap their hands with delight after each animal left the scene. Shadow puppetry at its best.” – Chelsey Stuyt, Bristol Theatre Review
"The artist best represents what constitutes the essence of an art like his: ancient roots, exercise, innovation, joy, sympathy, involvement. He tells and makes you dream without needing anything but his hands. An example of true art that, practically without props, is able to entertain and amuse." - Umberto Giustozzi, L'Osservatore