Zoi Dimitriou and Andrew Graham begin their “interdisciplinary duet” counting and slowly crumpling to the ground. While I could well appreciate the physical prowess in the two performers slowly manoeuvring muscle by muscle to the floor, by the third time I was starting to wonder exactly where they were going with it.
I shouldn’t have been so cynical. It’s exactly this repetition of movement and later of word that’s at the core of this work and allows them later to reward us with the familiar as well as wrong-foot us by adapting and changing it.
What could be pretentious and self indulgent is lifted with speeches from the performers (some sadly lost upstage or obscured by the soundscape) based around and exploring the phrase “you may” in both thought provoking and genuinely funny ways.
The movement pieces themselves are balletic and athletic with some truly impressive physical feats. Dimitriou is mesmerising, exhibiting real mastery over her every sinew particularly in a couple of solo sections, using jerking movements like frames of a video being played back and forth or like images morphing seamlessly from one to another.
Graham is amazing to watch. His body contorting, as if manipulated from outside rather than moving voluntarily.
The soundscape by Andy Pink is a challenging mix of electronic instruments, percussion and sound effects that surrounds and concentrates the production without being too imposing on the ear.
Holly Waddington’s simple costume design effectively evokes classic sci-fi, Dimitriou and Graham dressed in simple, modest white gym wear that could easily have come from Logan’s Run.
For staging Ingrid Hu provides a bare black box save for a number of cloud-like clusters of material, some suspended from above, others freestanding which the performers strategically reposition from time to time.
There are some flat moments, where the performers walk to their next assigned positions. A creative movement choice certainly and I’m not expecting the pair to constantly leap across the stage, but for me the life seemed to evaporate slightly in these short interludes.
What’s most pleasing is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There is humour aplenty, particularly in the spoken elements with some clever plays on words. And while its tongue is in its cheek at times, it’s not in a knowing way. Rather this is an uncynical piece, truly questioning the world without imposing any answers. Its mind is open and I recommend you view it in the same way.
