Catherine Bennett resumes the weekly look at the performing arts world, with the sad end of Jerusalem, the luck of a cabbie, and French revolt. Do you hear the people sing?
Adam Alcock reviews Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons and his own Four Elements at York Opera House.
Catherine Bennett highlights the trends in the performing arts world today.
Jonathan Cridford reviews 'Ghosts', one of the Freshers' plays for this year.
My favourite thing about going to the University of York drama barn is never knowing what to expect. From the moment the barn looms into view, there is a sense of suspense. Unlike conventional theatres, you don’t have to wait for the curtains to open for the drama to begin. Here in York the theatrics start once you step over the threshold.
Instinct stewards require the audience to leave their belongings at the door, to strip down to their indoor clothes, and then to put on blue jumpsuits with a bright red hand print on the back. Wobbling around the entryway, embarrassingly struggling to retrieve a foot through the elasticised trouser leg, the jumpsuits were only the beginning of quite an embarrassing experience. The floor was littered with stuffed bin bags, which are not seats. Do not sit on the bin bags, you’ll be in for a nasty surprise!
The play begins with the bin bags coming to life and giving birth to clown faced beings who then proceeded to learn how to walk, eat and masturbate. The lesson of how babies are made came next, followed by a swift deterioration into civil decay.
Said that way, Instinct sounds grim. However, the play is really not a dark one. Instead it is quite a comedy. The characters communicate in a language that sounds like a Scandinavian one, or perhaps Lilo and Stitch. The clown faced actors constantly touch members of the audience, apparently discovering something about their physical identity through prodding noses, or rubbing up against arms. The sudden bursts into enthusiastic, very well choreographed dance kept the mood upbeat and the divide between these under evolved, barbaric creatures and the refined members of the audience wide.
The plot is ambitious. Impressively achieved without dialogue, the actors beautifully conveyed their instinctive evolution to us. Indeed, we sat through over one hundred minutes of action packed evolution without dialogue. The actors were very independent, each one following a seemingly free, unchoreographed agenda before coming together for major scenes.
All in all, Instinct is a powerful depiction of the evolution of mankind in an exciting, original way. A must see. And let’s not talk about how to remove jumpsuits elegantly.
Instinct is running at the Drama Barn until Sunday night. Tickets £3.50/£4.50 members/non-members available on the door.
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