FESTIVAL DANCE | Previews
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IN THE WINE Dance show takes journey from grape to glass TAIWAN SEASON Three works echoing different aspects of life
FEEL-LINK Exploring the artistic potential of street dance
The last time we saw Java Dance Theatre at the Fringe they were welcoming us onboard a double decker for a fabulously chaotic ride called Back of the Bus. Happily, that show has returned, along with new production In the Wine, which continues the New Zealand company’s ethos of involving audiences in a way that never intimidates. ‘We love coming up with new and outrageous
ways to immerse the audience without putting them on the spot,’ says artistic director, Sacha Copland. ‘In the Wine does this by having the audience seated in the round, tempting them with different smells throughout the show, feeding them grapes, giving them scented confetti to throw, surrounding them with live cello, violin and percussion, and staging a “war of the grapes” over them.’ There’s also an optional New Zealand wine tasting after the show. And since the show was inspired by the rituals and celebrations of vinification, there’s an unashamed party vibe. ‘Wine and celebration have been linked for thousands of years,’ says Copland. ‘So as the narrative unfolds we find every way there is to celebrate. There’s a little debauchery, too.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly Checkpoint, 623 3030, 6–29 Aug (not 10, 15, 22), 1.10pm, £11.50–£12.50. Previews 4 & 5 Aug, £8.
A woman in her 40s looking at female identity, and two young men exploring rituals and the pressures of modern life – this year’s Taiwan Season offers a rich insight into the country through dance. In NuShu, Hui-Chen Tan of Water Reflection
Dance Ensemble looks at how women have been perceived in ancient and modern times, from youth to old age. In The Sacrifice of Roaring, young choreographer Hsu Chen Wei has been inspired by his parents’ funeral business to examine traditions, gods and rituals from the past, while Lost in Grey, by Chang Chung-An of Resident Island Dance Theatre, shows how young people in Taiwan are dealing with modernisation, and how recent violent incidents are directly linked to mental health issues. Executive producer, Jih Wen Yeh, says: ‘Each of them is exploring the most meaningful and relevant subject for them. And because of their varied ages and backgrounds, these artists can indicate some of the radical social, political and cultural changes that have occurred in Taiwan.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ NuShu and Lost in Grey, Dance Base, 225 5525, 5–28 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), 3pm (NuShu), 5.15pm (Lost in Grey), £12 (£10). The Sacrifice of Roaring, ZOO, 662 6892, 7–29 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), 6.30pm, £10 (£8). Previews 5 & 6 Aug, £5.
Airida Gudaitė and Laurynas Žakevičius met on a Lithuanian TV dance contest and later became household names by winning another. Established in 2012, their company Dance Theatre Low Air was the first of its kind in their native country. Through it, they aim to uncover the artistic potential of street dance and introduce it to theatre-lovers everywhere. By doing so, they’ve become cultural trailblazers. Using an evocative electronic soundtrack that gives way to a live recording of Nina Simone’s ‘Feelings’, their 40-minute show Feel-Link uses movement to portray the various stages of love (and jealousy) in a relationship. What perhaps lends the performance an extra tinge of authenticity is that its creators married last August and will celebrate their first wedding anniversary in Edinburgh.
‘When the show was first conceived we were playing characters,’ Gudaitė explains, ‘but as it progressed, and our relationship grew, we realised that we were acting out our feelings for each other. Now it’s more us that audiences will be seeing onstage.’ Žakevičius adds: ‘The show is deeply sensual and sexy. Just the thing for noon in Edinburgh!’ (Donald Hutera) ■ ZOO Southside, 662 6892, 8–20 Aug (not 14), 12.10pm, £12 (£10). Previews 5 & 6 Aug, £8.
SCARY SHIT Creative duo delve deep inside themselves to explore their fears
Describing herself as ‘a hopeless romantic’, up- and-coming UK choreographer Rhiannon Faith uses movement and whatever else it takes to examine what she refers to as ‘impulsive, messed-up and fragile facets of the human condition’. Riding the rollercoaster of a therapeutic experiment, she and fellow performer Maddy Morgan have created a show about friendship, being a woman and asking for help. An inevitable question is what is each performer afraid
of? ‘A massive list,’ says Faith, ‘but the way the show started was me wanting to get over my fear of speaking on the telephone. Oh, and my sister once threw a dart and it landed in my head, so any dart paraphernalia.’ Morgan, for her part, replies: ‘I can’t tell you what I’m afraid of because it will ruin the show.’ Do they share a fear of being afraid? ‘It got to a point
where I was scared of everything,’ Faith admits. ‘Sounds neurotic, but the amount of times I’d jump out of my skin each day was ridiculous. I thought, I need to sort this out.’ Morgan’s turn: ‘I’m not afraid of being afraid. Plus we’ve learnt that feelings are neither right nor wrong, it’s what you do with them that counts.’ Scary Shit is both tender and rude. ‘There’s a bit of
dry humping,’ Faith reveals, ‘and a section called “Two Fannies go for a Summer Stroll”’. And how do they feel about doing 24 performances in one month? ‘We’re not afraid!’ Faith declares, adding, ‘Translation: we’re shitting ourselves.’ (Donald Hutera) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 6–29 Aug (not 10, 15, 22), 1.45pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9). Previews 3–5 Aug, £6.
66 THE LIST FESTIVAL 4–11 Aug 2016