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Michael Cox reviews three dance pieces supported by The Place.
The Place have brought three impressive pieces to Summerhall, all completely different from each other—except in spirit and quality.
First up, Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me) (****). Perhaps the key word in Ben Duke’s description of the piece is ‘inspired’, for, as he points out in the beginning, Milton’s poem is a bit long for a show that clocks in at just over an hour.
There is a playfulness to how Duke recreates moments from Milton’s classic: poetic, humorous and, at times, pertinent. Dance meets physical theatre with poetry readings and a touch of the confessional—it’s a bit like the ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ cliché being dramatically presented, with the next scene going in a more outrageous direction than the last.
The juxtapositions he gives between God in Milton’s classic and his own experiences as a parent could have been an egotistical misstep but end up being the production’s best moments, where art and the personal come colliding, sometimes in ways that prove more touching than it first seems.
Perhaps better in parts than as a whole, Paradise Lost is wonderfully theatrical and constantly engaging, giving a great balance between the humorous and the poignant.
Not nearly as deep but equally entertaining is T-Dance (***). Using the theme of touch, four dancers begin by taking to the stage, connected by wooden poles balanced shoulder to shoulder. Formations are made, lifts are given (to the dancers and some audience members) and different forms of body contact explored.
And it’s all perfectly pleasant. There is nothing that astonishes, but everything is done well and with a relaxed, almost cheeky air with four performers, each of whom are engaging and approachable.
Two men spend an hour mostly jumping around a stage. Doesn’t sound like the best of shows one can spend their hard-earned cash on, and yet, Igor and Moreno: Idiot-Syncrasy (****) is an exhilarating dance piece.
Igor Urzelai and Moreno Solinas come out on stage, dressed in waterproof jackets, trainers and cheeky grins. They start with a song that begins softly but soon grows in volume and energy, literally lifting them up in the air. They then spend the rest of the piece bouncing around in formations, back and forth, sideways and around each other.
And it’s a pleasure to watch from start to finish. Urzelai and Solinas have an enviable energy that both amuses and amazes. Walking sadly feels a lot heavier and grounded upon leaving the theatre.
Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me), T-Dance and Igor and Moreno: Idiot-Syncrasy perform at Summerhall until the end of August 2015 in the Main Hall. Check the venues website for specific days and times.
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