WEST Midlands-based Dance company Motionhouse describe their latest production as ‘jaw-dropping’ – an apt description as my jaw was completely dropped for the entire 90 minutes of this extraordinary show.
Seamlessly blending dance with circus acrobatics, ‘Hidden’ explores how, in the darkest of times, we can find the best in ourselves.
Picture by Dan Tucker. sThere’s an ensemble of seven ‘human’ dancers, with the set itself becoming the eighth ‘dancer’, consisting initially of a series of interconnected cuboid screens that appear to shapeshift in front of your eyes. The videography that projects across these screens is both mesmerising and disturbing, playing with your mind and bombarding you with a dizzying array of images.
Picture by Dan Tucker. sThe piece opens with the dancers depicting the pressures of everyday life – work, relationships, the need to succeed – against a backdrop of moving images that both complement and jar with the fluidity of the performer’s movements. The physicality of each dancer is incredible – there is no gender separation with women carrying men as well as each other, standing on shoulders two or three high before making a death-defying leap into waiting arms. What impressed me was that despite the obvious displays of strength, the movements showed a vulnerability and poise, staying true to contemporary dance traditions.
Picture by Dan Tucker. sHaving spent the first part of act one trying to work out how the set worked, all is then revealed as the screens are removed to leave a framework of aluminium tubes, which the dancers can flip, turn, climb, hang from and add elements to as the narrative follows the descent into despair. There’s a breathtaking section where two dancers appear suspended from the frame in cling-film pockets – almost as if they are each inside a broken mobile phone screen. Not just a ‘wow’ moment, but also a thought-provoking scene that illustrates the despair of trying to break free whilst having no control of what is happening around you.
Act two starts with two male dancers suspended at the top of what is seemingly an almost perpendicular ramp of panels attached to the aluminium frame. To stay at the top, they need to support each other, sometimes hanging on by their fingertips. This becomes the theme of part two; how we need to support each other in our darkest moments. The dancers work together as a team as the grey fades and light begins to return, ultimately reaching the ‘top’ as a team.
Picture by Dan Tucker. sAll the dancers are extraordinary; not only do they need physical strength across the entire performance, but they also move the set, requiring them to count beats whilst doing so in order that the video imagery is precisely projected onto the correct screen. One small slip and there is a real danger of someone being hurt – all of which adds to the overall tension and wonderment.
Picture by Dan Tucker. sDirector Kevin Finnan has produced another Motionhouse tour-de-force. Kudos to set designer Simon Dorman and the digital creative team for producing an awe-inspiring set that is so integral to the piece. We should be proud to have such a brilliant company as Motionhouse in our region – catch this stunning show when it returns to our region next year.
*****
A note too about the pre-show curtain raiser – a performance from 16 young dancers working with Motionhouse and The Hippodrome’s brilliant education team. Every performer gave their all and worked as a true ensemble – it was a joy to watch. The future of dance is indeed bright!
