| Conceived and performed with real intelligence and wit |
At Volcano Theatre |
| Volcano Theatre / Marc Rees- Unknown Pleasures: Threshold , Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University , June 4, 2008 |
Interdisciplinary performance artist Marc Rees is a man who can see beauty in the minutiae of movement, to the extent where he is able to transform the smallest gestures and details into something extraordinary.Rees's involvement in this project - a co-production between Volcano Theatre Company, Taliesin and Swansea Metropolitan University - gave it a level of artistic integrity that is sometimes sadly lacking in physical theatre, and also succeeded in telling a very personal story almost purely in terms of movement. Though billed as a piece inspired by the history of Swansea's Palace Theatre, this was in truth an exploration of just one period in its history: namely, the early 1980s, when it was a gay nightclub called Jingles. Rees - joined here by Wendy Houstoun, John Rowley, Stephen Donnelly and Rachel Walsh - explored the experiences of a young lad coming to terms with his own sexuality, and while it was something of a slow burn it has to be said that the work was conceived and performed with real intelligence and wit. My only minor misgiving is that Volcano's trademark penchant for taking audiences out of their "comfort zone" might occasionally prove problematic for those with limited mobility: this one turned the usual theatrical situation on its head, with the audience having to sit on the stage on cushions(and very uncomfortable cushions at that)looking outwards into the auditorium. Access to the stage was via an area usually out of bounds to the public, which - though supposedly part of the experience - was not the easiest of places to negotiate. Ideally, of course, the ideal venue for the event would have been the Palace itself - but having been there only once when it briefly re-opened for a concert version of Follies(footage of which was shown here, to haunting effect)I concede that this would have been unfeasible inasmuch as years of dereliction and neglect have taken their toll. This was the first in a series of experimental collaborations between Taliesin, Volcano and what used to be called Swansea Institute before it achieved University status, and it will be fascinating to see the ongoing project take shape in the months and years to come. |
Reviewed by: Graham Williams |
This review has been read 2284 times There are 31 other reviews of productions with this title in our database:
|
