Live Performance Review: L.A. Dance Project (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2013), Monday 26.08.2012 19:30 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh
This was interested in as soon as I noted that the company was founded by Benjamin Millepied, the choreographer and a star of the Darren Aronofsky film Black Swan (2010). I also am quite often lead to consider dance performances by the pictures used to promote them and the main image for this company in the Edinburgh International Festival's Brochure I felt to be quite stunning.
There were three pieces.
The first 'Quintett', I thought used great light and shade (as did the second piece). The music was pleasant. The dancers movements I could not fault except for one very short section where I felt the movements did not appear quite as sharp as they could. Though this is quibbling as the vast amount of the time the dancers movements appeared sympathetic to one another as well as appearing very fluid and displaying a high degree of synchronicity. This piece to my eyes appeared to be about romantic love, courtship and jealousy.
The second 'Winterbranch' began to silence for the first section and then was set to discordant sounds (not noise, as some have said). The sound for this piece, to me, was strongly reminiscent of the soundscape that accompanies the film Eraserhead (1977). Eraserhead is a film I am very fond of and find to be unintentionally very funny. Though I suspect that my familiarity with the likes of that film means that I am likely to be accepting of the sounds, where others clearly were not (there was ignorant booing at the end of the piece). I had no issue with it.
There were industrial elements, such as a device that went across the stage and the performers being presented to appear very small on the stage, which to me was suggestive of 'cogs'. It collectively was suggestive of industrial dystopia, which again chimes with the film.
The performance its self caused me to think of another David Lynch film, Mullholland Drive (2001).
There was a darkness in tone to this piece that appealed. I feel it is a very brave performance, and brave is not a word I am usually okay with using in regard to a performance, as is a term I feel to have become used too liberally. The very monotone minimal and stark lighting, resulting in large areas of the stage being minimally visible I can imagine riling some, though I though this all added to the overall 'vibe' of the piece. I would not go so far as to say it was as enjoyable as the first or third performances, though I did feel it was very good and I liked it.
The third 'Moving Parts', was set to a loop of this lovely older spoken male voice, accompanied by sympathetic music. The lighting was very straightforward and not really part of what was going on except to ensure the performers were well illuminated. This piece was choreographed by Millepied himself, and was an enchanting display of hypnotic fluidity. All elements appeared well considered and complementary. As a whole the piece appeared to me to be an expression of the experience of being consumed by love. By how the piece ends I got the impression of the love being everlasting. Quite beautiful. (The photo in the brochure is a shot of on of the performers involved in presenting this piece.)
Collectively I found the three pieces to be highly impressive and enjoyable, with a nice change in tone in the middle to shake things up. I have no hesitation in the praise I give.
Rating: 10/10.
There were three pieces.
The first 'Quintett', I thought used great light and shade (as did the second piece). The music was pleasant. The dancers movements I could not fault except for one very short section where I felt the movements did not appear quite as sharp as they could. Though this is quibbling as the vast amount of the time the dancers movements appeared sympathetic to one another as well as appearing very fluid and displaying a high degree of synchronicity. This piece to my eyes appeared to be about romantic love, courtship and jealousy.
The second 'Winterbranch' began to silence for the first section and then was set to discordant sounds (not noise, as some have said). The sound for this piece, to me, was strongly reminiscent of the soundscape that accompanies the film Eraserhead (1977). Eraserhead is a film I am very fond of and find to be unintentionally very funny. Though I suspect that my familiarity with the likes of that film means that I am likely to be accepting of the sounds, where others clearly were not (there was ignorant booing at the end of the piece). I had no issue with it.
There were industrial elements, such as a device that went across the stage and the performers being presented to appear very small on the stage, which to me was suggestive of 'cogs'. It collectively was suggestive of industrial dystopia, which again chimes with the film.
The performance its self caused me to think of another David Lynch film, Mullholland Drive (2001).
There was a darkness in tone to this piece that appealed. I feel it is a very brave performance, and brave is not a word I am usually okay with using in regard to a performance, as is a term I feel to have become used too liberally. The very monotone minimal and stark lighting, resulting in large areas of the stage being minimally visible I can imagine riling some, though I though this all added to the overall 'vibe' of the piece. I would not go so far as to say it was as enjoyable as the first or third performances, though I did feel it was very good and I liked it.
The third 'Moving Parts', was set to a loop of this lovely older spoken male voice, accompanied by sympathetic music. The lighting was very straightforward and not really part of what was going on except to ensure the performers were well illuminated. This piece was choreographed by Millepied himself, and was an enchanting display of hypnotic fluidity. All elements appeared well considered and complementary. As a whole the piece appeared to me to be an expression of the experience of being consumed by love. By how the piece ends I got the impression of the love being everlasting. Quite beautiful. (The photo in the brochure is a shot of on of the performers involved in presenting this piece.)
Collectively I found the three pieces to be highly impressive and enjoyable, with a nice change in tone in the middle to shake things up. I have no hesitation in the praise I give.
Rating: 10/10.
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