Collaboration the Project’s latest work started with a bang. Or almost didn’t start! At the last rehearsal before opening night, one of the performers, Monique Dawes injured herself and was deemed unable to perform. A frantic email was sent out from the company’s publicist to inform us that due to the complex nature of the choreography, the season would have to be postponed. Fortunately for all involved, at the 11th hour, a replacement was found, and Stratagem opened only one day later than scheduled.
It was not hard to see how one could get injured performing in this piece, as it was violent, intense, relentless, fearless and chock full of complex choreography. Full credit must go to Amy Vaughan who pulled off the seemingly impossible task of not only learning the work in one day, but performing it as though each movement was as natural and familiar to her body as walking. Credit is also due to Kim Adam and Ashleigh Perrie who worked all day in order to get the production onto stage.
The premise of Stratagem centred on a virtual reality game show that had swept the globe. Each week, the program saw four contestants “battle the virtual prowess of the mind in heated combat challenges for the chance to win six million dollars.” In a theme reminiscent of The Matrix, the contestants were plugged in, yet no matter how real the simulation appeared, no harm could come to the players. A virtual death created a re-setting of the program and the next challenge would begin.
This was a bold subject for a contemporary dance company, particularly one that is renowned for Paul Malek’s incredible lyricism and fluid choreography. Stratagem was a stark departure from Malek’s previous works with Collaboration that addressed more traditional themes of love and sex.
The piece started promisingly with the sound of thunderous drums and the arrival of the dancers in costumes reminiscent of WWF fighters mixed in with 80’s glam punk. The choreography was massive and the stage was not, so I would like to see this type of production in a more appropriate setting in order to give it the space to breathe that it deserves. At times the flurry of movement and the sheer intensity of the choreography, coupled with the furious pas de deux, made the dancers seem larger than life.
The strength and stamina of the dancers was astounding. Their energy never faltered despite the majority of them being on stage for the full duration of the 45 minute show. Gone was the dream-like beauty that Malek has made the audience accustomed to, and in its place was a far more daring piece that succeeded in pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance, albeit with a few obtuse and clunky moments of choreography due to excessively angular shapes.
The piece worked when the intensity was at its peak, such as the scene with strobe lighting and the entire company performing in unison. The effect was mesmerizing. However, Stratagem began to lose a little steam towards the end as the ferocious battles that were so compelling gave way to melodramatic faux death scenes and the use of screaming from the dancers. The beauty of contemporary dance is that movement can be the storyteller, and I feel that the use of pantomime is unnecessary. In a piece like this when so much can be interpreted from a single movement, it can be best to show, not tell the audience what you wish to convey.
Nonetheless, Stratagem was atmospheric, exciting, daring and provocative. It proved that Collaboration the Project is absolutely vital to the Australian dance landscape. We need more artists willing to be this daring and more choreographers as talented as Malek to pull it off.
Three out of four works I’ve seen by Paul Malek this year feature death as an element or central theme. If I didn’t know him personally as a charming young man, I think I’d be wondering about what kind of person was behind these hyper-emotive, frankly dark productions.
What Malek does best is jazz contemporary with a rich narrative, and Climax sees him further his exploration of this genre. It has less of the philosophical depth of June’s Collection ofForgotten Treasures (which justly cleaned up this year’s Short + Sweet in Melbourne) and is more akin to the series finale in a top notch American television drama. Let’s liken it, to say, an X-rated Desperate Housewives doing a ‘seven deadly sins’ special. This is the kind of show you would bring a culture-phobic acquaintance to in an attempt to initiate him or her. It appeals to the mainstream appetite for show-stopping entertainment without compromising itself artistically. These themes are nothing new, but they work; murder, adultery, revenge, drugs, rape, suicide and hate crimes. How else do we explain the dizzying number of crime shows on TV?
The music, lighting, and choreography in Climax are bold and confronting from the get-go, with inter-connected storylines to match. Call me nearly 30, but I would have enjoyed more respite from the thumping electro-pop break beat, though it definitely serves the purpose of creating tension, suspense and that ‘in-your-face’ vibe.
Performances are first-rate all around, delivered by a cast of some of Melbourne’s finest, and quite possibly sexiest, contemporary and commercial dancers. The question arises as to whether or not there is an end to Ashleigh Perrie’s skill. I suspect probably not. The woman is fearless. In Climax she performs lightning quick, acrobatic moves, in heels and a pencil skirt, atop a small desk without so much as a shiver of instability. I got the feeling that we could have decorated the desk with olive oil and marbles and she’d still have pulled it off with rock solid perfection. Did I mention she was in heels?
Someone (possibly Calvin Coolidge, but even Google doesn’t know everything) once said something along the lines of ‘there’s nothing more uncommon than an unsuccessful person with talent’. What I admire most about Collaboration The Project is the fact that it exists. It is prolific, and continues to strengthen with each output. There’ll never be enough work for the amount of talented artists in Australia (and indeed, the world), so when it comes down to it you sometimes just have to go out and make your own. These guys are proof that it can be done. Bravo to them!
Collaboration The Project’s Down The Rabbit Hole is a sinister adaptation of the classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, that may well give children nightmares. However, for everyone else, this quirky, Tim-Burtonesque reinterpretation of the childhood tale will deliver an entertaining, fun night of dance, showcasing both the considerable talent of its performers and the creativity of its director, Paul Malek.
From start to finish, Down The Rabbit Hole proved a powerhouse of energy, featuring contemporary-edged choreography that spotlighted the characters of Alice and the White Rabbit. Whilst in some sections the music was loud enough to make a case for the provision of ear muffs, overall, the reworked but modern accompaniment energised the atmosphere, and alongside the hypnotic chequered floor and red stage lights, admirably set the scene for the dark tale.
The petite Kim Adam made an excellent Alice, with her clean technique and lines playing second fiddle to her apparent acting ability. As the villainous White Rabbit, Brendan Yeates was outstanding, reaching beyond the limits of choreography to present a truly charismatic interpretation of the character. The partnering sections between the two dancers were full of chemistry, illuminating the White Rabbit’s seductive power over Alice as he led her further and further down the doomed path.
Though hard to believe, the second act pushed up the energy levels even further, featuring the Mad Hatter’s delightful tea party and the violent Queen of Hearts. This opened the way for more choreographic scenes involving the entire cast. In these sections, Malek demonstrated a good awareness of space and the logistics of ensemble performance, never allowing the choreography to seem messy despite having many characters onstage performing wildly different movements. In line with this, sections in which the dancers performed in unison were employed to great effect, balancing out the freer sections of choreography.
Utterly witty and zany, Down The Rabbit Hole is a great choice for a night out with friends. Unlike many adaptations of classics, which attempt to offer a cerebral, highly intellectualised version of the original, this production doesn’t pretend to be more than it is – an enjoyable work of entertainment. For this reason and many others, Down The Rabbit Hole is a refreshing addition to the Melbourne dance scene.
Collaboration The Project presentsDown The Rabbit Hole Thursday 15th to Saturday 24th October 2009
Collaboration The Project takes the original novel by Lewis Carrol, Alice’s Adventures in wonderland and darkly adapts it with a host of Australia’s most talented and innovating new talents in their latest production DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE.
Artistic Director Paul Malek (Immersed Melbourne Dance Industry Night, Beat N’ Move Euphoric, Something Blew, Time A Story of Youth & Inhale The Showcase) has cleverly adapted this classic tale and is pushing the boundaries of the Performing Arts with an intriguing new movement vocabulary flirting with differing dance styles and adding intense characterisation, creating an often spell-binding array of movement.
Follow Alice Down The Rabbit Hole and be engrossed in the madness of the dance!
Dates: Thurs 15th Oct to Sat 24th Oct.
Venue:Theatre Works, St Kilda
Bookings: Essential on 95343388 or online www.theatreworks.org.au
