Sunday, 1 March, 2009| | Share on Facebook
That's my main critique on Hofesh Shechter at the roundhouse, if your even an inch under 5'4" it was more of a puppet show than a dance performance, the occasional hand flying around, maybe a head in the rare points that they jump. This lead to quite a few people leaving at the interval.
Fortunately I didn't have this problem, so I saw most of it (apart from certain bits of floor work...when I say certain I mean most bits of floor work).
This wasn't the only problem me and my theater goers faced, having danced since 8 in the morning, standing up for 1,30 hours on a Friday...is...well fairly taxing.
Ok so seriously, its a great idea, an interesting experiment. The music was great, the pieces were as good as they've been for the last few years...so it should have been great?
But I just...wasn't wowed. Maybe because I've seen it before, maybe because I was expecting something incredible, but it was the same thing in a different context.
I think this idea of a gig dance setting COULD work, but for me it didn't.
If it is to work, the music should have been live for the whole thing (maybe that`s tricky within the context of the pieces...then change the pieces!).
If your going to do something exploring dance in a gig setting, then make work...that is made to deal with a gig setting!
Uprising/In your rooms are made for theater, and the stage was a theater stage with a proscenium arch and wings, the stage wasn't high enough so everyone could see. making people stand up and drink beer while watching, doesn't make it a gig setting.
It's just people standing up and drinking beer...while watching theater?
So conclusion, it was a nice experiment. But for it to really work, it needs more research. It needs pieces that are tailor made for the setting, a stage which is less theater like, maybe a few masseurs wondering around the audience for everyone's lower backs.
Mines been stiff ever since, someone from Hofesh owes me a back massage. The guy with dreads looked like he'd be good at it....
