Tyler Meredith walked alone onto the Goodman Theatre stage Thursday evening and announced: "I fell once."

She then proceeded to tell us the story of "Things I saw while lying on my back" - a phrase she repeated often throughout the performance of "The Attic." She told the story of her life - from early childhood to her deathbed. Many of the significant events happened while she was on her back: her birth, an encounter with a lover in a Las Vegas hotel, a ge in Thailand, the birth of her child, and a deadly diagnosis.

She told her saga only partly through words and not by herself. Music, dance, video, and acrobatics are the heart of this play. Nine others surrounded her, acting out her and her friends at various stages of a full life. So much was happening on stage at once; sometimes it was impossible to know where to look. Were the images on the TV screen in the corner relevant to the scene? Was it worth glancing over and missing an amazing feat on the trapeze swinging high above the stage?

Although this month at Goodman marks the world premiere of "The Attic," the play and many of its participants originated at the Montreal-based circus company, "7 Fingers." It was part musical, part biography, but one could not ignore the grace, strength, balance, and athleticism of the dancers, who brought their circus experience to the performance.

I did not know what to expect from Shana Carroll's creation, "The Attic." It was unlike any play I have seen - at the Goodman or elsewhere. I only know that I enjoyed it.