Thursday, March 31, 2005
Play Without Words
I'm in New York City on business. I was fortunate enough to get a ticket for Play Without Words tonight. This piece, a collaborative work, devised and directed by Matthew Bourne is stunning. The music, by Terry Davies, often echos Graham Fitkin's Piano Circus and Philip Glass mixed with old smoky bar jazz.
The main characters in this dance piece are played by multiple dancer/actors who are usually on stage at the same time. There is an incredible moment where a chase ensues where suddenly it felt like I was IN Duchamp's "Nude Descending a Staircase".
Time seems fractured in this piece and yet the story is cohesive. There is an amazing scene where Anthony, the lead, is undressed and dressed at the very same time by his servant. The clothes move from one actor playing Anthony to the other in a seamless way. You suddenly feel like you are watching a split screen in a movie or television.
The "clones" of each character move between one another and truly feel like a single character.
I wish I had time here to see it again. If you have the chance, don't miss it. It is playing right now at Brooklyn Academy of Music in the quite wonderful Harvey Theatre.
The main characters in this dance piece are played by multiple dancer/actors who are usually on stage at the same time. There is an incredible moment where a chase ensues where suddenly it felt like I was IN Duchamp's "Nude Descending a Staircase".
Time seems fractured in this piece and yet the story is cohesive. There is an amazing scene where Anthony, the lead, is undressed and dressed at the very same time by his servant. The clothes move from one actor playing Anthony to the other in a seamless way. You suddenly feel like you are watching a split screen in a movie or television.
The "clones" of each character move between one another and truly feel like a single character.
I wish I had time here to see it again. If you have the chance, don't miss it. It is playing right now at Brooklyn Academy of Music in the quite wonderful Harvey Theatre.
