Triptyque, Les 7 Doigts De La Main, Melbourne Festival, Playhouse Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Saturday October 8th 2016
For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights. Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases. I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.
The Melbourne Festival brochure advertised the show as One hour and thirty minutes without an interval. Then I received an email stating "Triptyque runs for 2 hours, with intervals." The programmes stated it was "Duration: 2 with two intervals." For the historical records - the performance ran about two hours and ten minutes with one interval and a pause.
The show started within one minute of scheduled time. Whew two shows in a row starting nearly on time. This is a record.
"Triptyque" comprised three works: "Anne and Samuel", "Variations 9.81" and "Nocturnes".
I have seen Les 7 Doigts De La Main before and recognised at least two of the performers.
The first work "Anne and Samuel" was choreographed and staged by Marie Chouinard. The stage was a slightly raised deck bordered with crumpled brown paper around the perimeter.
Sarah Harton hung via red straps from a beam. A pair of crutches was down stage. Samuel Tetreault enters on crutches and proceeds to Sarah Harton suspended in space. He dances by releasing her from the harness of red straps. He then nudges, coaxes and pushes her into position to reach for her crutches. She comes alive.
The pas de deux between the two performers was more of a pas de trois with the clever use of the crutches. At times the crutches became additional limbs and other times were an extension of their limbs. Sometimes the extension was for the other performer's limbs and incredible skill, agility and trust were required between the two.
A section had Samuel Tetreault close his eyes and appears blind. His physical sensations are heightened and our attention to the duo is enhanced as we anticipate any false moves.
The sound-effects of walking on the crumpled paper were terrifically well timed as it merged with the real sound of walking. As the man first walked along the paper border we suddenly were surprised and realised that he could indeed walk.
The final section of this first piece comprised Sarah Harton wrapped around Samuel Tetreault's body. It was so erotic as they are face to face. Legs splaying and developpes and port de bras are performed in this position.. Her hands and legs are freed from the ground as she balances. His arms are seen and then all of a sudden they start to spin. How did he do that? I looked at his feet as they kept rotating and I enjoyed the surprise - he was sitting on top of a small revolve hidden by the crumpled brown paper. They turned slowly to tease us. Gradually they turned faster and faster. It was orgasmic.
The second work, "Variations 9.81" began after about five minutes to reset the stage. They started with two white clowns and a broom chasing a spotlight. It set the mood for a circus introduction.
There was an extended pause before the curtain was raised. We knew why when the curtain was raised. Five performers were upside down in hand-stands on balance beams. Wow - the skill and strength to maintain these positions for so long is admirable; let alone perform what was to come.
They mainly performed acrobatic and strength balancing work. The power and strength was incredible. This was about twenty minutes long and better than some of the similar acts that I have seen in larger circuses. I really appreciated the simplicity of the staging without all of the bells and whistles of ridiculous makeup and inane colourful clown costumes.
After an interval, was the third work "Nocturnes" choreographed and staging by Marcos Morau, Isabelle Chasse and Samuel Tetreault.
A lady was watching television seated on her bed. Under the bed was blackness and I knew that she would either sink into it or that something was underneath the bed. Well the sheet moved slightly and I thought someone was behind the bed. No: there were five dancers under the bed who all came out.
A man stood on stage left. He was like her dream. The blur of reality and fantasy or dream had begun. This third piece provided lots of opportunities to experiment with the illusion of dreams and reality.
A bed was raised by four wires and swung around the stage. It was a bit like "Chitty Chitty Bang" with the flying car or "Aladdin the musical" with the sets carpet.
At one stage a man was hanging underneath the bed, As the bed swung low the other performers would slide under the bed with near misses. This was a great variation on other similar acts.
The rope climbing sequence began by a man, and then a lady appeared on another rope. A lady enters and has the lady step onto her shoulders from her rope. The lady walks balancing the lady on her shoulders and presents her to the man on the other rope. They perform a mesmerising duet on the rope. Three ropes are used with performers on the ropes. The two ladies are up high and the three ropes and stretched out by the other performers who tie then into a knot. One lady on stage left stretched to counter-weight and balance the rope. A man pulls a rope taut on stage left. Downstage right three performers pull the rope taut to create a tight rope. The two ladies sit perched above the central knot gripping one hand. One releases the other lady when she has her balance and she proceeds to walk a fairly tight but slack rope. This great effect demonstrated their teamwork and trust.
The bed was raised. The man slid down the sheet like a silk routine to escape back to earth.
A unicycle was lowered from the flies. He also received a white French legionnaire's hat. He rode the unicycle with such skill using both feet to pedal or at times would pedal with one foot. Other times he pedalled on the wheel itself. He held the unicycle and juggled it as if the unicycle was upside down in his hands with great skill, dexterity and timing. The juggling of the unicycle was a simple trick that I have not seen before.
Lamp flickered to create a change of realities and to prepare us for the next magical sequence.
A translucent ball was presented to the curly haired man. who demonstrated a routine of levitation and juggling of balls. He would be assisted by two ladies who also provided lots of distractions.
The bed becomes a hospital bed with a drip. Two performers became nurses. The others joined in to take pulse or check various body parts. It was funny watching one guy check the pulse of his foot.
Distraction techniques were used by having a duet dance downstage while the new setups were prepared for the various pieces of equipment: harnesses for the bed, ropes or sling.
The upright bed scene with hands coming through was nearly a copy of "Poppy" by Graeme Murphy for Sydney Dance Company. (Note that "Two Dogs" also used a standing up bed joke in their show when he stood up from laying down explaining it was easier if the bed was upright.) Also "Beauty and the Beast" film by Jean Cocteau last night used the arms holding the candles etc. You can see what an influence Jean Cocteau had on the arts with "Thing" from "The Addams Family", Tracey in her upright bed in "Hairspray - the musical" etc)
I have seen Les 7 Doigts De La Main before and recognised at least two of the performers.
The first work "Anne and Samuel" was choreographed and staged by Marie Chouinard. The stage was a slightly raised deck bordered with crumpled brown paper around the perimeter.
Sarah Harton hung via red straps from a beam. A pair of crutches was down stage. Samuel Tetreault enters on crutches and proceeds to Sarah Harton suspended in space. He dances by releasing her from the harness of red straps. He then nudges, coaxes and pushes her into position to reach for her crutches. She comes alive.
The pas de deux between the two performers was more of a pas de trois with the clever use of the crutches. At times the crutches became additional limbs and other times were an extension of their limbs. Sometimes the extension was for the other performer's limbs and incredible skill, agility and trust were required between the two.
A section had Samuel Tetreault close his eyes and appears blind. His physical sensations are heightened and our attention to the duo is enhanced as we anticipate any false moves.
The sound-effects of walking on the crumpled paper were terrifically well timed as it merged with the real sound of walking. As the man first walked along the paper border we suddenly were surprised and realised that he could indeed walk.
The final section of this first piece comprised Sarah Harton wrapped around Samuel Tetreault's body. It was so erotic as they are face to face. Legs splaying and developpes and port de bras are performed in this position.. Her hands and legs are freed from the ground as she balances. His arms are seen and then all of a sudden they start to spin. How did he do that? I looked at his feet as they kept rotating and I enjoyed the surprise - he was sitting on top of a small revolve hidden by the crumpled brown paper. They turned slowly to tease us. Gradually they turned faster and faster. It was orgasmic.
The second work, "Variations 9.81" began after about five minutes to reset the stage. They started with two white clowns and a broom chasing a spotlight. It set the mood for a circus introduction.
There was an extended pause before the curtain was raised. We knew why when the curtain was raised. Five performers were upside down in hand-stands on balance beams. Wow - the skill and strength to maintain these positions for so long is admirable; let alone perform what was to come.
They mainly performed acrobatic and strength balancing work. The power and strength was incredible. This was about twenty minutes long and better than some of the similar acts that I have seen in larger circuses. I really appreciated the simplicity of the staging without all of the bells and whistles of ridiculous makeup and inane colourful clown costumes.
After an interval, was the third work "Nocturnes" choreographed and staging by Marcos Morau, Isabelle Chasse and Samuel Tetreault.
A lady was watching television seated on her bed. Under the bed was blackness and I knew that she would either sink into it or that something was underneath the bed. Well the sheet moved slightly and I thought someone was behind the bed. No: there were five dancers under the bed who all came out.
A man stood on stage left. He was like her dream. The blur of reality and fantasy or dream had begun. This third piece provided lots of opportunities to experiment with the illusion of dreams and reality.
A bed was raised by four wires and swung around the stage. It was a bit like "Chitty Chitty Bang" with the flying car or "Aladdin the musical" with the sets carpet.
At one stage a man was hanging underneath the bed, As the bed swung low the other performers would slide under the bed with near misses. This was a great variation on other similar acts.
The rope climbing sequence began by a man, and then a lady appeared on another rope. A lady enters and has the lady step onto her shoulders from her rope. The lady walks balancing the lady on her shoulders and presents her to the man on the other rope. They perform a mesmerising duet on the rope. Three ropes are used with performers on the ropes. The two ladies are up high and the three ropes and stretched out by the other performers who tie then into a knot. One lady on stage left stretched to counter-weight and balance the rope. A man pulls a rope taut on stage left. Downstage right three performers pull the rope taut to create a tight rope. The two ladies sit perched above the central knot gripping one hand. One releases the other lady when she has her balance and she proceeds to walk a fairly tight but slack rope. This great effect demonstrated their teamwork and trust.
The bed was raised. The man slid down the sheet like a silk routine to escape back to earth.
A unicycle was lowered from the flies. He also received a white French legionnaire's hat. He rode the unicycle with such skill using both feet to pedal or at times would pedal with one foot. Other times he pedalled on the wheel itself. He held the unicycle and juggled it as if the unicycle was upside down in his hands with great skill, dexterity and timing. The juggling of the unicycle was a simple trick that I have not seen before.
Lamp flickered to create a change of realities and to prepare us for the next magical sequence.
A translucent ball was presented to the curly haired man. who demonstrated a routine of levitation and juggling of balls. He would be assisted by two ladies who also provided lots of distractions.
The bed becomes a hospital bed with a drip. Two performers became nurses. The others joined in to take pulse or check various body parts. It was funny watching one guy check the pulse of his foot.
Distraction techniques were used by having a duet dance downstage while the new setups were prepared for the various pieces of equipment: harnesses for the bed, ropes or sling.
The upright bed scene with hands coming through was nearly a copy of "Poppy" by Graeme Murphy for Sydney Dance Company. (Note that "Two Dogs" also used a standing up bed joke in their show when he stood up from laying down explaining it was easier if the bed was upright.) Also "Beauty and the Beast" film by Jean Cocteau last night used the arms holding the candles etc. You can see what an influence Jean Cocteau had on the arts with "Thing" from "The Addams Family", Tracey in her upright bed in "Hairspray - the musical" etc)
Overall I gave this an 8/10 while my partner gave it a 7/10 as he does not like circus type acts and was expecting more contemporary dance.
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