From a capable and interesting LeCoq trained company, La Donna e Mobile is both amusing and bizarre, though certainly not for all audiences.
The play gets off to a strong start with an amusing skit about examining the unknown realms of femininity. The cast are dynamic and compelling to watch and their bright, open expressions drew the audience into the show. There was excellent ensemble synchronicity and I was very impressed with the girls’ ability to remain in time without any music to guide them. They also used their breath very well to heighten the impact of bigger, sharper movements and the choreography was performed very uniformly with great chorus blending.
Many themes are effectively discussed and work well in the context of the piece. Scenes about sexual empowerment, past oppression and misunderstanding of women and exploitation of women for male pleasure were especially interesting. However, this is not a consistent feature of the piece and a lot of it is very difficult to process.
Many scenes were very bizarre and nonsensical. This may well have been deliberate, and parts were certainly designed to make the audience feel uncomfortable, though it is unclear why this was. One scene in which an actress poured strawberry jam onto a table and proceeded to rub her face in it was especially confusing and its purpose in the show was unclear. Equally, the nudity was totally gratuitous in this piece, not really adding anything to the scene besides an element of shock which could have been achieved by other means.
La Donna e Mobile is probably worth a watch for die-hard physical theatre fans and those who think they can cope with some of its stranger elements. However, it would seem that this is a love-it-or-hate it show and spectators risk the latter when attending. It would be prudent to consider it carefully before viewing as it may divide audiences.
