THE CHAIR Family, death and narrative dance
Over the past couple of years, Zoo Venue has got increasingly good at giving opportunities not only to the most interesting international dance companies, but exciting younger companies from the UK. In that slot this year is C-12 Dance Company, still- recent graduates who have been making collaborative contemporary dance in London since 2005, with their show The Chair.
‘It’s contemporary dance with a narrative, which I realise is a contradiction in terms,’ laughs the show’s co-director, Adam Towndrow. ‘I come from a more theatrical background though, so it’s important to me that there should be a narrative element that the audience can grasp while they’re taking in some excellent dance.’
dancer Joey D one night with the suggestion of collaborating on a theatre project. ‘I soon forgot about the conversation until a couple of weeks later when Joey rang to say he’d booked us in to perform at a venue a month later,’ says Bailey about the successful if unusual starting point for Flhip Flhop: Everything Happens on the Break.
He describes it as a fusion of ‘dance, DJ-ing, beat box and physical theatre’ brought together through a narrative about two decorators competing with each other to escape the monotony of the daily grind. ‘If you want to see original, entertaining comedy theatre and an exciting display of skills, then this is the one for you,’ says Bailey. ‘You won’t see another show like ours at the Fringe.’ (Fiona Campbell) ■ Zoo Southside, 662 6892, 9–31 Aug, 12.50pm, £10 (£8). Previews 7 & 8 Aug,
LOLA: THE LIFE OF LOLA MONTEZ Biographical flamenco drama During the 19th century, Irish-born Lola Montez plied a career as an unlikely Spanish dancer across Europe, Australia and the US while bedding the likes of King Ludwig I of Bavaria along the way. Her story is one of scandal and celebrity. ‘Lola is a woman of enduring interest,’ says Trestle’s artistic director, Emily Gray. ‘She dared to travel alone, speak her
mind, create a persona and sell it to the world. The show visits her moments of glory and despair on stage, in bedrooms, at royal courts and at sea. She died alone in New York aged 38, haunted by the cost of celebrity.’ A collaboration with Barcelona-
based Increpación Danza, Lola has four performers delivering these moments through theatre and flamenco, against a rich backdrop of guitar and rhythm, played by Fringe regular, Ricardo Garcia. Montez wasn’t a great technical dancer, but she compensated with her passion and personality – which forms the driving force behind this drama. ‘We want our audience to experience what it might have been like to be in her presence for an hour,’ says Gray. ‘It’ll be hilarious, inspiring, emotional, messy and tragic.’ (Susan Wright) ■ New Town Theatre, 0844 477 1000, 11–30 Aug (not 17, 24), 6.45pm, £11–£12 (£9–£10). Previews 9 & 10 Aug, £7.
Festival Dance
Telephone Booking Fringe 0131 226 0000 International Festival 0131 473 2000 Book Festival 0845 373 5888 Art Festival 0777 169 3470 ZEITGEIST Butoh-inspired bravery
Created by innovative Queensland- based Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, Zeitgeist comes to the Fringe loaded with intrigue and unabashed sex appeal. According to director, Lynne Bradley, audiences can expect ‘55 minutes of nightmarish fantasy and eight gleaming, bare, Australian physical theatre bodies – it’s like walking into a Dali painting.’
But the naked flesh isn’t gratuitous. Japanese dance style Butoh is a key inspiration for Zen Zen Zo, and it’s common to see dancers bare and painted white, as a sign of stripping away the performer’s social mask. ‘Butoh is one of a number of influences upon our dance-theatre style, along with burlesque and cabaret,’ says Bradley. ‘All these forms originate from a shadow space, where the things we wish to remain unseen are exposed to the light.’
Zeitgeist, with its cigarette-puffing Sloth Women and thigh-thrusting Porn Zombies, is about challenging perceptions, turning social norms on their head and provoking thought. ‘I hope the show will bring people back to their humanity, to the cutting-edge of life,’ says Bradley. ‘Let it be a warrior call to live bravely and fearless, as my company members do.’ (Susan Wright) ■ C, 0845 260 1234, 5–31 Aug (not 17), 10.55pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£8.50–£10.50).
FLHIP FLHOP: EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON THE BREAK Breakdance in overalls
STILL BREATHING Hip hop and contemporary melting pot
If there’s one thing that’s consistent about 2FaCeD DaNcE Company, it’s that it is never the same twice. Each year, the Hereford-based company heads to the Fringe with yet more ammunition in its belt. What started life as a fairly humble youth project has grown into a force to be reckoned with. Blending hip hop and contemporary dance, 2FaCeD is constantly raising its game – but this year’s show, Still Breathing looks set to be its best yet. ‘It feels like the most developed and advanced piece
we’ve done, both in its thinking and movement style,’ says the company’s artistic director, Tamsin Fitzgerald. ‘We’ve taken on some new dancers and the company is stronger than ever. As usual with 2FaCeD, they come
from a range of backgrounds – from Rambert-trained dancers to top UK breakdancers.’
For the first time, Fitzgerald is using set as an integral part of the show, with the performance space growing gradually smaller as the dance progresses. There’s also a fair amount of ladder activity, which should give the athletic young male dancers a chance to put their muscles to good use. Something that has often worked in their favour fan-wise, but the company’s appeal goes far beyond those looking for eye candy.
‘I love the fact that our audiences cross generations,’ says Fitzgerald. ‘That our shows are enjoyed by young and old and by fans of contemporary and breakdance all in the same space.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Zoo Southside, 662 6892, 9–31 Aug (not 17 & 24), 4.30pm, £12–£13 (£10–£11). Previews 7 & 8 Aug, £9.
Bursting onto the hip-hop scene with their first fully fledged production as Rannel Theatre Company, Joey D and Matt Bailey make their Fringe debut with a show that came about after a chance encounter in a night club. Working as a DJ, Bailey approached
36 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 6–13 Aug 2009