Tag Archives: dance

Double Think (Force Majeure)

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Double_Think_5104__bg.jpg 1024×683Venue: Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Aug 21 – 24, 2013
Choreographer: Byron Perry
Music: Luke Smiles
Dancers: Kirstie McCracken, Lee Serle

Theatre review
In Force Majeure’s Double Think, the space of dance theatre is explored to its fullest extent and possibilities. The company pushes aggressively at the boundaries of dance and music, introducing concepts from all aspects to dismantle and to re-create a form of performance that is about dance, but not the way we know it. The use of inanimate objects and its relationship with light, for example, or the substitution of music for silence and speech, open up ways for the presentation of a kind of show that is not only fresh and unusual, but also seductive, communicative and intellectual. It is the ultimate application of talent and opportunity that one witnesses in this production.

Dancers Kirstie McCracken and Lee Serle are about a foot apart in height, but their symbiotic closeness delivers a sense of divinity and awe that gives their performance a feeling of sublime magic. Their ability to portray one being in two bodies, with unimaginable unison can only be a result of discipline, coloured by blood, sweat and tears. There are breathtaking sections where they display superhuman memory with the most intricate and lengthy choreography, astonishing their audience with the seemingly infinite capacities of their bodies and minds. It is noteworthy also, that both, but especially Serle, have the ability to reach out and connect with a crowd like true entertainers, rather than lofty professional dancers who tend to be more detached in their approach.

Production values are very accomplished, and thoroughly enjoyable. Lighting design is crucial in physical theatre, and Benjamin Cisterne’s work here is a triumph. The final sequence in which the dancers move very quickly in very dim light creating images that the eyes perceive but the brain fails to comprehend, is probably going to be an effect copied by many in the future. Choreographer Byron Perry has his fingerprints all over this creation. Nothing has escaped his attention, and we are beneficiary of his wonderful vision.

www.forcemajeure.com.au

The Twelfth Dawn (Old 505 Theatre)

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twelfthdawnVenue: Old 505 Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jul 3 – 28, 2013
Devised and Performed by: Kerri Glasscock, Gareth Boylan, Michael Pigott

Theatre review
This original, unorthodox work tells a story to your heart first, before your brain is allowed to discover the logic behind the emotions. It is at times a dance performance, sometimes a surrealist exploration, and on occasion naturalism sets in when you least expect, but through some unfathomable genius, all these forms are blended together seamlessly. The Twelfth Dawn takes its audience on a journey of the senses and emotions, but removes the reliance on conventional, narrative driven storytelling. A key to the effectiveness of the work, is the empathy its players are able to elicit from the audience in spite of the lack of a story. It is a very pleasant surprise that experimental theatre can look so real and feel so emotional. Within this realm of avant-gardism, all three artists are of the highest calibre.

Michael Pigott creates a character palpable in its authenticity, relying on his extraordinary physical dexterity as well as restrained but precise facial expressions. Kerri Glasscock’s capacity at portraying intense emotions anchor the work in a place that is dark and honest. The level of fragility and vulnerability that she brings to her performance is confronting yet seductive. Gareth Boylan provides the bridge between the audience and the stage action. His timing is impeccable, jumping in and out of the world in which “the couple” inhabit, breaking tensions and moving courses.

The theatrical arts is at its best when all the actors’ facilities, beyond words and speech, are employed, and The Twelfth Dawn is a prime example of what can be achieved. It is disappointing to report that there were less than ten in the audience last night, presumably because an “important sporting event” was taking place simultaneously. It is however, incredibly fortunate that Sydney can give rise to the production and staging of a work of this quality, even if it does struggle to find a bigger audience.

www.venue505.com/theatre

G (Australian Dance Theatre)

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G-Hero-feature[1]Venue: Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay (Sydney NSW), May 16 – 18, 2013
Choreographer: Garry Stewart
Music: Luke Smiles

Theatre review
This re-construction of the classical Giselle delivers an incredible amount of punch and excitement, leaving its audience on a high as though it had witnessed an action movie in the flesh, rather than a work created from the deconstruction of ballet.

One could argue that the star of the show is composer Smiles, whose music overwhelms and guides the viewer through the hour long performance, providing logic and narrative to the dancers’ work. Less effective is the massive electronic screen, which spouts words throughout, supposedly complementing the choreography in some way, but is actually both ugly and distracting.

Stewart’s choreography is intriguing and captivating. The pace of the work is urgently energetic, but he also provides variety throughout to prevent any moments of monotony. The incessant procession of bodies only ever entering stage right, and their frequently breathtaking super-human feats make this a real spectacle of a performance, but in the end, the beauty of its dance still breaks through and touches. What remains is sublime.

www.adt.org.au