Theatre
PREVIEW NEW WORK AS YOU ALWAYS DO Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 21 -Sat 24 May
Behind the stories of the media there are truths that we will never see. When we view reports of murders, disappearances and wars, our perspective is controlled by the scripting, editing and camera angle. Without being a witness, it can be hard to see those involved as real people; so when sensationalist gossip spreads, who can remember the human tragedy at the heart of it all? Inspired by, among others, the story of Angelika Kluk, murdered in Glasgow in 2006, Polish-Scottish company Gappad have created a bilingual piece of physical theatre with that question at its core.
It follows the story of an anonymous woman who, in her absence, is judged and punished by society. Performer and co-director Agnieszka Bresler explains the concept of the company. ‘The idea is to create work that could be seen by a Polish person sitting next to a Scottish person, and they would both understand it, even though they couldn’t have a conversation. It asks the same questions whether you’re Polish, Scottish, or even Chinese’.
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98 THE LIST 8—22 May 2008
As was evident in their previous production, RE:ID, performed at the Tron and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007, Gappad place great emphasis on cultivating their Polish roots and are heavily influenced by pioneering Polish theatre-maker Jerzy Grotowski.
‘It goes along with his notion of Poor Theatre,’ says Bresler. ‘We do not have any props or set design. It’s very physical and very fast.’ While REID addressed themes of immigration and identity, this play will continue with the company’s aim to explore topics that are culturally relevant to both Poles and Scots, and give us all something to think about. ‘Through the play we try to ask, what gives us the right to judge somebody,’ notes Bresler. ‘And how much do we depend on what the modern media tells us?’
We learn everything from our 24-hour news channel, but should we make the choice between their perspective or no perspective at all? Bresler explains that they just want people to think. ‘We’re hoping for some eyes to be opened, and maybe the next time something tragic happens, people won’t make such quick judgements.’ (Sarah Redhead)
PREVIEW CONTEMPORARY DANCE
reality and belonging.
of something that doesn’t belong.’
(Kelly Apter)
: May
PREVIEW CONTEMPORARY DANCE
THE CURVE FOUNDATION
1 0TH ANNIVERSARY GALA King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 20
‘I thought if I were to have a party to
celebrate ten years of the Curve
Foundation. who would I invite?“ says
' Ross Cooper. artistic director of Curve j Foundation. ‘Who has been relative to 3 our evolution? Which people have
v helped and encouraged me?“
Performed almost a decade to the day
3 since the company's debut, the show ' will feature two works by Curve. plus : two duets by dancers from Scottish
Ballet and Phoenix Dance. ‘For many years Scottish Ballet has
been the establishment for me to learn
’ from and build off of,‘ explains Cooper, who has asked dancers Jarkko Lehmus and Kara McLaughlin to perform Ashley
Page's sensual duet, Acrid Avid Jam.
' Cooper also asked legendary
choreographer, Merce Cunningham to
5 donate his lead dancer. Daniel Squire to the gala.
‘I told Merce we wanted to perform
; his solo, Signals at the gala,‘ says Cooper. ‘And he said l either needed
Daniel or Mikhail Baryshnikov to dance that role. And since I went to school
f with Daniel — and I think he dances it
better than Baryshnikov — I've asked
him to come over from New York.“ With
Curve's dynamic rendition of The Four
Seasons and a work by former Rambert dancer. Ana Lujan Sanchez, completing the bill, this is one birthday party wonh
inviting yourself to. (Kelly Apter)
COLETTE SADLER: THE MAKING or pouar “WWW: G'?$99.W'.FK’_9§ 53’ 1.9 May .
She has danced throughout Europe. won a Creative Scotland award and choreographed for Belle and Sebastian. Yet the inspiration for Colette Sadler's latest work was found practically on her doorstep. Performed by four dancers and two life-size dolls, The Making of Doubt explores our perception of the body.
‘The image of the puppets was partly inspired by where I live in Glasgow.’ explains Sadler. “There are a lot of young people hanging around there who exist within a social system. but are somehow excluded from it. I'm not trying to represent unemployment on stage through the use of dolls. but rather the notion
During the course of the show, prosthetic limbs are detached from the two dolls and added to the performers“ bodies. playing with the notion of bodily representation. On the surface, The Making of Doubt appears to be tapping into the genetic zeitgeist. Not so. says Sadler: ‘l was looking for hybrid bodies; between being a puppet or a human, having an active or passive body. belonging or not belonging to a society. So it's more a social question than a scientific one.“