Pure Movement - Program 1, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Playhouse Theatre, Thursday 23rd October 2014

Pure Movement - Program 1, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Playhouse Theatre, Thursday 23rd October 2014

Trisha Brown Dance Company presented Program 1 at the Playhouse Theatre as part of the Melbourne Festival.

"Solo Olos" begins with a group of five dancers until the bearded man jumps off stage to the front row.  He then gives directions via a microphone - to a specific individual or various dancers to either reverse or split or break.  The dancers are all performing the same sequence and sometimes are dancing the same phrase.  It is fun to watch as the dancers reverse a movement.  It is even more fun to watch as they are then quickly instructed to  reverse again the movement.  It is like watching your rewind on the video/dvd.  With many combinations of instructions. the dancers end together in the same pose.  The audience erupts with applause and appreciation.  A great opening for Program 1.

"Son of Gone Fishing" is a complex work with phrases that sometimes matched another dancer or mirrored another dancer.  At times it looked as if they were in canon musically - for a fleeting few seconds.  Very shiny costumes and muted lighting.

Interval.

A number of people did not return after interval.

The solo of "If you couldn't see me"  has the dancer face upstage and we get to see her expressive back.  I thought this went on a bit too long and did not develop some of the exquisite possibilities that I have seen with either classical ballet, contemporary or even musical theatre dancing.

About four people left from the front stalls after the above dance piece. 

The finale "Newark"  was danced in very ordinary grey unitard costume. These looked to be constructed from a cotton fabric, which showed up every sweat stain possible.  The fabric did not seem to breath and dry.  My friend "Bridie" Murphy would have made those costumes using a fabric better designed for dance wear.  I can hear him from the grave complaining about the quality of the fabric and the poor line of the round collars. 

I did not feel the distinction between the male and female styles of dance in this work.  There still seemed to be a androgynous quality about the movements for both sexes.  What I did enjoy was the fleeting moments of pas de deux or contact work.  I wish to see more duo or contact work.

This piece was tiresome and too long.  I enjoyed the dancing but it rambled on.  I think "Son of Gone Fishing" would make a more spectacular finale to this program.  This is easily the most sophisticated and more accessible for the general public to enjoy.

Beautifully danced by all dancers.   This is a feast for dance history fans.

My partner and myself both loved act one of this program.

Overall this program gets a 7/10.  Act One gets an 8/10 and Act Two a 6/10 which averages to overall 7/10.