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Playing Landscape

 
Jenny Johnston Review by Jenny Johnston 5 Published: 12 Aug 2014 C venues - C Show Dates: 30 Jul 2014-25 Aug 2014

Playing Landscapes is an exciting opportunity to see a four person dance company from Macao. Their production does not fail to meet expectations and is spectacular – it’s a must see for any physical theatre and dance fan.

This show is a must see multi-sensory experience. An inky masterpiece!

The opening of the play is beautiful. The dancers create a lovely fluid feel through their use of silky material and movement. The simple set allows the audience to trace the movements of the dancers and gently slip into a dream like world of wonder.

Hanging from the back wall there are seven sheets of vertical paper strips. This is used to show film clips of Beijing-based artist Cindy Ng’s ink art. Her ink forms a beautiful moving landscape and stirs the imagination.

Throughout the production there are subtle changes in lighting and the occasional use of colour from the moving ink images. A beautiful musical score is used throughout. Occasionally a calm disembodied voice fills the stage which helps to break up the different sections of the narrative. I really enjoyed the non-textual elements and storytelling through the use of the body.

The dancers have a hypnotising group dynamic. They work well together and individually. Each physical score is filled with beautiful moments of tension, opposition and varying different paces ranging from slow to fast.

The company have an imaginative approach to props, from umbrellas to flowing fabrics, bowls of water or strips of paper. These abstract materials are curiously manipulated. One catches a glimpse of gently floating fabric or the ear hears the mysterious ruffle of paper. I really enjoyed the interesting watery traces that filled the stage.

Along with the stunning images of moving ink the dancers present an organic and beautiful piece of physical theatre which is fluid and moving. I highly recommend this show. The actions and physical scores are all mesmerising and enchanting. This show is a must see multi-sensory experience. An inky masterpiece!

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Direct from Macao, theatre and dance combine with the contemporary Chinese ink art of Beijing-based artist Cindy Ng. Since 2008, this non-text-based original collaboration between artists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Beijing, Melbourne and Macao has been performed in fourteen different cities in Asia, Europe and Africa (Taipei, Macao, Beijing, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bytom, Seoul, Guimaraes, Maribor, Porto, Mindelo and Praia). Part of the 2012 European Capital of Culture official programming, Playing Landscape also received the Mindelact International Theatre Homage Award from the Presidency of Cape Verde in 2013.