six.txt

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http://www.nightnews.net/fringe2007.htm#pink

Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall - Little Dove Theatre Art
venue :: C soco
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/littledovetheatreart
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 08 Aug 2007
Comment: 2 for 1 deals.
4 Gold Bats

Review :: I race out of a performance workshop and head over to C 
Central and the experimental experiential performance zone for 'Six
Women.' Its bright and the streets are filling up, I scouted out the
wall the day before in the bowels of C adjacent to C Soco. I meet 
the 'Six Women' in the stairwell moving slowly and as one, step by
step. they are very pretty, draped in pink and hidden under layers
of white powder. I think to let them through the door first but at
their pace it may take 20 minutes so I discretely slip into the 
white wall area where luckily there is a refreshment point. I 
negotiate an orange juice, the cast eventually catch up at their
snails pace. The space is plunged into darkness and the show begins.
Its great fun and incredibly interesting to see westerners taking 
their inspiration from Japanese forms - Butoh in this case! The
range of facial expressions alone are solid gold bat material! 
This is an interactive show and an interactive experience also 
for those who are inclined. Many of the audience held back to 
the chagrin of the performers and Artistic Director, Chenoeh Miller.
Its is quite incredible how transgressive the simple act of holding
hands with the cast in this context can become! There was good use 
of color, form, movement, music and much eye contact for those at a
distance who preferred a voyeuristic role. This show really stands 
out as a perfect moment in time if you are willing to experience it
fully and interact as a matter of theatrical experience - almost a 
wrong footing experience if you succumb too much perhaps. It was 
more than apparant that some of the audience were dying to touch,
but took their enjoyment vicariously unable to overcome their 
inhibitions and personal sterotypes. You really have to let go 
in this show and that means the audience! There was lots of 
applause at the end and the formerly highly animated ladies 
left stage right, in that automata way, the same way that they
came in. You could feel them exuding calm after what must have
been a draining performance. A show with some lovely moments 
and a real aesthetic, I felt sorry for those in the audience 
layered in social norms and inhibitions unable to interact at
a human level with these wonderful ladies.

by John C Vassallo