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| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre: Reviews |
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Autumn Tour 2004 -
Scottish Dance Theatre. Company - Scottish Dance Theatre www.scottishdancetheatre.com
The starting point for Smith’s Forty Minutes
is a booth at Grand Central Station, New York where you can record your
thoughts and memories on a 40 minute tape. This dance piece is 40 minutes
long, beginning with a speeded up train journey on film. A soundtrack
of low, dreamlike electronic music fills the air. The stage is covered
completely with a huge thick pile beige carpet and under the soft lighting
it seems to represent a sandy beach. There follows a series of separate
scenes, occasionally featuring distorted sounds, reflecting disturbed
feelings and movement. We hear arguing voices “you keep changing
your mind” says a girl. “I’m not” retorts the boy.
Pairs of dancers or threesomes explore the emotion and physical contact
within relationships, running, teasing, playing. The pace and rhythm speeds
up – time is moving backwards perhaps as we hear the sound of happy
children laughing. Warning. Luxuria starts in a strange
manner. One by one, five men dressed in green commando-style outfits with
long ribbons. They somersault, jump, hop and march about. This is the
Ministry of Silly Walks. But then the sound of rain and a fabulous dark,
gothic, Peter Greenaway style of music score featuring harpsichord, piano
and haunting cello strings, changes the mood. Five women in cream hoped
ball gowns glide gracefully around the stage. In a seductive waltz
the men lift the girls on to their shoulders, moving with breathtaking
skill and balance. The girls slowly, erotically, undress and in camisole
and knickers the couples dance a slow smooching tango to the strumming
of a Spanish guitar. From an uncertain and silly opening, this piece
develops into a mesmerising and fantastic vision. Full marks to Paul Shriek
for costumes and Ben Ponton for soundtrack. After seeing a stunning performance by the SDT in autumn 2002, I
wrote in my review then that this dynamic company was flourishing under
the creative guidance of Janet Smith. Having followed their development
since, including their sell out Fringe 2004 show, their work is becoming
even more radical. Always fresh and inventive, often outrageous, this
energetic ensemble continues to break down barriers, combining contemporary
dance with physical theatre, drama, comedy and acrobatic movement.
Reviews of 2002
Tour , 2003
Spring Tour, 2003
Autumn tour and 2004
Spring Tour.
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