list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL DANCE
XD Absurdist Italian performance art works a treat ●●●●● THATHA Pure happiness delivered in dance and song ●●●●●
MURLEYDANCE DOUBLE BILL Lunchtime balleticism needs more seasoning ●●●●●
The programme at Dance Base is never short of odd but welcome surprises, and 2013 is no exception. The biggest one this Fringe is this delightfully deadpan dose of neo-vaudevillian post- modern absurdity from the young experimental Italian company CollettivO CineticO.
The title, XD, is derived from the widely used smiley-face emoticon. Loaded with pop-culture references, everything in the piece – from a buck-naked Spider-Man impersonator, a dental- conscious yoga practitioner and a laughing lamb- in-a-bag to some self-bursting balloon heads, a toothpaste-squirting competition and much more – occurs within a variety of square frames.
This gimmick never loses its kick, mainly be-
cause the cast (one female, three males) execute their bonkers, prop-heavy tasks with a rib-tickling combination of purposeful concentration and crack comic timing. The quartet may not actually dance all that much, but their highly fit, exposed bodies are no little compensation. Their off-the- wall collective brain might be just about as attrac- tive. A smartly silly show, ideal for anyone happy to be amused but also bemused. (Donald Hutera) ■ Dance Base, 225 5525, until 17 Aug (not 12), times vary, £8.
If there is such a thing as a recipe for pure happiness in a Fringe show, the Siyaya theatre company has found it in ThaTha. From start to finish, this celebration of southern African dance and song is driven by an energy that never lets up, from gumboot dances to rain-bringing rituals to the gorgeous harmonies of Zimbabwean reggae. The show title translates as ‘please take’ and the whole cast give their all, as they beat out the pulse of the songs with hands and feet and sing as if they are filling the Usher Hall.
If there is one performer who stands out it’s
Makhula Moyo, a dynamo of joy, leaping around the marimba and stamping through traditional dance fusion in jeans and t-shirt.
Benhilda Ngwenya shines too – the perfect diva, slicing her hips through twists and radiating attitude in beads the colour of the Zimbabwean flag that fly when she moves. It’s not too different from other African dance and music extravaganzas the Fringe has seen in previous years but it is definitely a rainy day show if ever there was. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12), 4.25pm, £12–£14 (£10–£12).
Classical dance (served here with an occasional arch twist) is a rarity on the Fringe, so it’s a pity this ambitious, rather Matthew Bourne-ish programme doesn’t provide as much pleasure as it promises. Not that there aren’t notable moments – or dancers – in each piece. Inspired by famous art works, company namesake David Murley’s four-part La Peau (French for ‘skin’) features self- absorbed versions of Raphael’s Three Graces, awkwardly stylised sex via Ingres’ La Grande Odalisque, Botticelli’s Zimmer-framed Venus pining for former glory and Michelangelo’s Dying Slave stripping off on a symbolic stepladder.
Ultimately the four vignettes are less than the sum of their parts, but they do function as a show- case for some flexible young dance talent. Based loosely upon Alan (Six Feet Under) Ball’s play of the same name, Gwyn Emberton’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is a somewhat confusing scenario pegged on domestic abuse, cross-dress- ing and, essentially, difference. The cast doesn’t lack technique but, like the choreography, traces of callowness are visible. The whole enterprise is a little uneasily pitched between high art and tongue-in-cheek camp. (Donald Hutera) ■ Greenside, 557 2124, until 24 Aug (not 11,18), 12.30pm, £12 (£6.50–£8).
CAMBUYÓN Rhythms of an old-world trading port ●●●●●
In case you were wondering about the meaning of this show’s mysterious title, a giant picture of a ship bearing the words ‘come buy on’, (an invitation from English-speaking merchants to step aboard and trade) appears as part of a montage of seafaring footage at the start. Bathed in vintage-feel burnt copper lighting and set around sea trade ports, this exuberant (sometimes jaw-droppingly so) show has rhythm beating through its heart at every turn. Tap dancers pummel the boards of wooden crates; sailors chink and chime hanging green bottles; and vocal riffs are built up by idling traders, each singing a component part.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that the Catalan and Canarian
company hails from regions of the same country that gave us flamenco; the cast are not oblivious to this comparison and take care to point it out during an intricate display of clapping. ‘Flamenco’, says one man, ‘Espanisha’, before another breaks into a virtuosic display of body percussion flourishing up and down his limbs. It’s this balance of wry humour and breathtaking skill that
ripples throughout Cambuyón and leaves you grinning in childlike wonder at each new innovation. Usually showstoppers are huge and outlandish but here Néstor Busquets playing the drums on a matchbox then striking his tiny sticks alight is a moment of pure originality.
Other highlights include Raúl Cabrera’s a capella vocalisations of a muted trumpet, and Berta and Clara Pons’ simmering duet of liquid body-popping moves with a North African flavour. But there are also quieter moments that stand out. The simple beauty of salt being poured in a spotlight followed by a mournful ballad demonstrate that the troupe is just as capable of bringing the dynamic down as stirring it up. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 6pm, £15–£17.
8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 59