Oliver Dubois’ company of dancers received warm and enthusiastic applause at the end of last Saturday nights’ performance of TRAGEDIE. As I was making my way down the stairs after the performance, a woman remarked to me. ‘that was collosal’, and I agree.

A very brave troupe of dancers, eight women and nine men, went on a journey to embrace their full/entire humanity.

Stripped of clothes, of history, of social forces, of psychological theories and blandishments, they have to rediscover themselves and each other.

The dancers stride forcefully back and forth and side to side, at various times connecting, at other times disengaging with the back curtain  used as a main prop.

The performance started with a constant, haunting drum beat and then the music turned to edgy, contemporary music.

My highlight was when the dancers all came together and started chanting in unison with a fierce, almost primal energy.

This was a mesmerising performance. TRAGEDIE played for two performances on September 2 and 3 at the main theatre in Carriageworks. This was Dubois’ only stop in Australia, part of an ongoing world tour which premiered  at the Festival d’Avignon on 23 July 2012.