The Show Must Go On - Jérôme Bel
Photograph: Sadlers Wells 2015, Tristram Kenton for the Guardian,
Being part of the re-staging cast in The Show Must Go On has been most rewarding experience in my recent performance work. In this production, the subversive and stripping down minimalist production has been injected with life by the pop songs, the choreography and the diversity of the performers within Candoco Dance Company's extended family. Getting everyone to interpret the task with the same level of intensity had been a normal challenge that needed to be overcome daily, but the differences arisen from the mixed ability were managed without compromise. Dina ed Dik and Henrique Neves guided the new cast through the process Bel had devised in 1999 for the original one; I’ve learned how precision and awareness in the way we stand and look can generate the most sophisticated nuances. This raw, near tangible connection with the audience was clearly felt when an unexpectedly good crowd all came together to sing John Lennon's 'Imagine' or Simon and Garfunkel's 'Sound of Silence:' such resounding cohesion demonstrated by a crowd of strangers wouldn't happen at many dance shows (if any at all!). Furthering the experience of being immersed in this iconic work, the cast toured Paris over 3 weeks in December 2017 - truly invigorating and unforgettable.
life on tour...
header photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dancetabs/16687946788/in/photostream/
no copyright infringement intended.
no copyright infringement intended.