Fringe Reviews: Dance & Theatre

The Crucible – ★★★★

Nine sturdy-looking wooden chairs horseshoe the stage. A woman dressed like a governess stands in the centre with a lit lantern as she watches the crowd fill the seats. A few chairs downs from me sits a performer with a white bonnet covering her face. The lights dim and music starts, signalling all performers planted in the audience to make their way to the stage.

Their dance feels very ritualistic and physical at first as they strip off their puritanical clothing, as if paying homage to witchcraft many would be accused of later. When Elizabeth Proctor enters with a stern and condemnatory expression, the tension shifts but instead of dispersing at her censor, she is slowly indoctrinated.

It was a thrill to watch the performer’s inhibitions loosen, she is natural in her role and in her movements. Her duet with the dancer who plays John Proctor was beautiful, adding a tender moment to the anxious and uneasy climate. Only, of course, to be ruined later by his affair with Abigail Williams.

And credit must be given to the dancer who embodied Abigail Williams, because throughout the performance her jealousy and avarice felt tangible. I couldn’t wait for her signature sneer to be wiped off her smug face.

The trial scenes, which took up the second half, were the strongest moments visually. The lighting in the first half wasn’t utilized to its full potential, and some scenes lacked impact. However, during the trial, every movement felt heightened and tense, and this was buoyed by effective lighting, sound and choreography.

The shift-to-shift of modern pop music often pulled me from the narrative, and I would have to re-acclimatize before getting back into the story. Instrumental or experimental music would have been more suitable and less distracting.

At first, I wished the performance was a little airier. That the dancers were a little softer on their feet. But the longer I sat in the performance, I realised that feeling didn’t suit the performance. The angry stomps, frantic gestures and screams of the cast members echoed the essence and spirit of the story.

The most atmospheric performance I’ve seen at the Fringe this year from a lively and adept crew.

Choreographed by Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya, performed by Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre. Runs until August 24.

Dunhuang, ★★★

Located in at the edge of the Gobi Desert in Gansu province is Dunhuang, a small city that once was a hub along the Silk Road. In this city are the Mogao caves, which form 500 temples hosting an extraordinary history of Buddhist artworks. It’s here where this performance takes shape.

After A-Lai accidently knocks off an lotus ornament from an ancient mural, she travels backs in time and meets Liansheng – one of the original mural artists. They form an instant connection and begin to work together to uncover the caves secrets and find A-Lai a way home.

Both actresses were incredibly believable in their roles. A-Lai, an unsecure student, shows her vulnerability and frustration in her soft spoken dialogue and angry outbursts. Those complicated emotions were reflected in her songs too.

Liansheng’s innocence and naivety are evident from her unwary trust in her new friend and emphasised in her powerful yet clear singing voice.

Their emotional shift as A-Lai failed to find a way home had me invested in their story and friendship. Their duets, especially near the end of the arc, were beautifully done and their voices complimented each other. An ensemble band worked well behind the scenes to add emotional tension to the story and also move these arcs along.

This was a big story with a complex plot that got a little lost in the scriptwriting were a few puzzling time jumps and logic leaps. Despite this, I found Dunhuang a heartfelt production from talented young actresses, singers and musicians.

Performed by CCS Musical Theatre, runs until August 14.

Elements – ★★★

Hanging ivy and white fabric are draped along the wall behind the dancers. At first, it feels a little like a dance recital with the bright lights as dancers showcased their repertoire on stage. But as the music shifts and the tempo increased, the dancers come together in a flow of movement that is memorising.

Dreamlike and creative, the dancers did a phenomenal job representing each of the elements with every shift of their bodies. Even the little details like the use of breathing patterns and their facial expressions conveyed the element they embodied, even in moments when the choreography was a little clumsy.

Elements feels like a kaleidoscope, visual beautiful but missing tension. The elements provided a bountiful source of inspiration in movement, but a more tangible concept or plot would have added dimension to the performance.

Still, a captivating and tactile performance from energetic and emerging dancers that I would like to see more from.

Performed by the Paige Luisa Dance Company, runs until August 16.

Taiwan Season: Dazed and Confused – ★★★★

I entered the dark and stuffy Fringe theatre for magic show, but left with a satisfying underdog story that reaches to the heart of all those who didn’t find their calling the first time around – or perhaps are still searching.

Lin Lu-Chieh shares of his feelings of inadequacy growing up, being the youngest and only boy with overachieving sisters. With a cultural timeline that centres us in mid-2000s Taiwan, he shares his flits through a series of avocations starting with the game of Go – inspired by anime Hikaru no Go. When that fails, he follows his sisters strokes in swimming before trying his hand at baseball thanks to New York Yankee’s Chien-Ming Wang. He even makes an attempt at singing after the encouragment an indulgent teacher and Taylor Swift signwriting.

After none of skills panned out for him, our protagonist turned, in desperation and frustration, to YouTube and there he discovered magic. Through magic, he developed a skill wholly his own without following anyone else’s glory. A skill he demonstrated on stage throughout his narrative with the awe and laughter of his adoring audience. Just what he has always wanted.

Photo Credit: Lucas Chih-Peng Kao

Lin Lu-Chieh is an engaging storyteller, delivering a coming-of-age story wrapped in magic and honest humour. Filmmakers and showrunners should queue up for rights, because this show has all the right elements for a humorously heart-warming film or sitcom.

Performed by Lin Lu-Chieh, Lu Production. Show runs until August 25.

Land of Beat – ★★★★

On a darkened stage, a man dressed in black is spotlighted in front of a large white drum – a buk – as he beats it with a vitality that has the large and nearly-full theatre in awe. The lighting on the drum shifts, and the red and blues of the South Korean flag’s Taegeuk appears. It’s a mesmeric entrance.

Combining percussion, singing and dance with a little physical comedy, the five performers and musicians were magnetising as they put their whole bodies into their performance and rhythmic drumming. One drummer also played the Taepyeongso, a double reed wind instrument that has a high, nasally and piercing sound.

While the young were certainty the most energetic, it’s not only a young man’s vocation. A seasoned performer also demonstrated his skill on an hourglass shaped drum – a janggu – and with his clear and beautiful pansori singing.

What I loved about this performance is that it wasn’t just a show of strength or skill. While both are essential, at the heart was the performers genuine joy for being on stage. Visible in their wholehearted execution of their performance, through their interactions with each other and their engagement with the audience.

Land of Beat has brought a spellbinding symphony of percussion, dance and music to the Edinburgh fringe, one that I could still feel the remnants of in the beat of my heart long after.

Performed by Serotonin Art Company / Korean Season by GCC & AtoBiz, show runs until August 24.

The Pure Blue – ★★★★

I always say that lighting can make or break a show, and Shanghai Theatre Academy College of Dance’s The Pure Blue demonstrated this in spades. With little props besides a periwinkle net and creative and innovative costuming, the undecorated theatre stage was completely transformed into seascape saturated in atmosphere with just the right lighting.

Of course, without the skill of the dancers and choreographer, such a stage would be wasted. My attention was caught within seconds of the first dancer emerging. Dressed in white with a net wrapped around her, she slowly moves with little fits and starts, encapsulating a sea creature trapped in a net in an elegant dance.

When the other dancers teetered on stage with plastic wrapped around their bodies and sombre expressions, their movements are hesitant, mastering the art and balance of quick and intense gestures with slow and gentle motion.

Each dancer breathed life into their role, and I found myself truly rooting for them. Once they were free of the plastic encapsulating them, their expressions lightened, and their joy was evident on their faces and in the freedom of movement as they danced without inhibition.

Ethereal and striking, The Pure Blue is a dreamy dance with a meaningful message about the importance of our oceans. The creators of The Pure Blue could teach a class on how to make a big impact with a minimalistic set.

Performed by the Shanghai Theatre Academy College of Dance. 

Revolution Circus Show & The Newbie  – ★★★★/★★★★★

If you are looking for a circus show with the pomp and grandeur typically seen, than both of these shows are not for you. However, if you are looking for a performance that awes you in the wonderous ability of humans and connects you to a bigger world where everyone has their own part to play, than I suggest you make your way over to Dynamic Earth.

Revolution Circus Show (7:30 pm) and The Newbie (9:30pm) are two different shows, but they are on almost right after each other and feel interconnected. The set is simple – the tools needed to perform set to the grandeur of Dynamic Earth’s giant globe. It’s a striking sight during the earlier show, but it becomes even more magical as the natural light dims.

Six performers with diverse skillsets demonstrated their incredible control, agility and strength. What was especially extraordinary to watch was the trust each performer has in each other as well as the trust they have in their own abilities.

In the first show, charismatic juggler Dongwei Bao showcased his precision and timing with the help of his wee assistant, Oliver, who increased the plastic balls for him to juggle. In the second show, he juggled straw hats on and off his head with an infectious grin to the audience’s hearty praise.

I can’t imagine folding my body into a pretzel and still managing to smile at the audience with grace, but contortionist Jingyu Li did exactly that as she twists and bends in incompressible ways. She doesn’t rely on shock – though the audience certainty feels it – but there is a finesse and elegance to her movements that captured the audience’s heart.

In a dance of strength between Xing Hou and Yang Gao, the performers mirror each other’s steps before their upper body strength and dexterity is pushed to extraordinary limits. At one point, in both shows, Yang Gao is completely horizontal as he holds onto the pole with nothing more than his hands.

Aeriel silks is one of my favourite performances to watch as the beauty of each action is as mesmerising as the strength and courage needed. Both Jinyu Chen and Sha Li seemed to climb and dance in the silks as if they were born in them, and with incredible power, flexibility, and grace.

Xing Hou seems more comfortable in the Cyr wheel than I do standing on my own two feet as he spins around with balance and agility. However, it was his performance at the end The Newbie on an aerial pole that had me and everyone in the audience transfixed at his demanding display of ability, upper body strength and agility.

As much as I was held in amazement throughout, don’t be fooled into thinking both shows are just a circus displaying their bag of tricks. They are performance art and physical theatre that grounds the audience to the earth and connects them with each other.

The Newbie gets a slightly higher rating as it tests each performances ability to a greater and more thrilling extent, but both shows are well worth seeing.