“A dream caused by the surrender of a butterfly into the fog….”
Bonnie Curtis’ latest production WONDERLAND is strange, dark and challenging. It is divided into four segments, taking us on a journey in an alternative world.
The entrance foyer is partially blocked off and we enter a large space with various hanging lanterns and a tall, semi transparent vertical box with pulsating lights. Various branches in luminous UV colours for example orange, mango and yellow are also part of the scenery. When the show begins, after we have been handed our cards, Woody, our tour guide, explained that the cards had different designs depending on what rooms we saw and the sequence they were viewed in.
For two of the sections the whole audience was included , for the other two we were directed to various rooms ( I saw ‘The Face’ room and ‘The Mirror’ room’ – there was also a ‘Chair’ room).There was different music for each but a distinctive melody was repeated each time at the conclusion of the segment so we knew to move on.
The opening section was in the large theatre space, with some chairs in fluoro UV colours arranged against the walls. This section was ominous and eerie – after pulsating, throbbing music a mysteriously veiled female emerged, barefoot yet on high demi pointe and head bowed. Eventually she was joined by three of her colleagues .They were cold and somewhat menacing, reminiscent of the Willis in Giselle.
Choreographically this section includes rolling ,tumbling floorwork and some unusual partnering. A recurring motif is hands snapping like dragons .Sometimes they are menacing ,with hands outstretched to the audience, at other times they are boding and darting and there is an undulating coral (or centipede? – a reference to the caterpillar in Alice In Wonderland?) ) like sequence and at one point arms are like the arms of a clock. They snake around the audience then tentatively walk backwards, and then rock towards the exit at the conclusion .
The second room I visited was ‘The Face ‘room .A small number of audience members sat on benches all facing a small performance space with a window. First we see the dancers just eerily moving arms with hands like rippling coral sliding over the top of three panels. Eventually we see bodies in white leotards with mysterious mask like painted faces appear. At one point, with low sweeping movement , emphasis is placed on their long hair They writhe ,slide and tease us menacingly. Are they figments of nightmares? The segment finishes with them all jumping in a line. Strobe lighting was used.
The third room I entered was ‘The Mirror Room” , a study in Ophelia like madness. A solo performer in white is crouched facing away from us on a long bench. There are two mirrors in the room and the very small number of audience members stand crushed against one wall .It is an intense powerful intimate performance as the solo performer eventually turns and faces us and moves to slide down the wall . The work contains almost impossible gymnastic/acrobatic type contortions on the floor as well as spins.The body is enclosed , enfolded and seeks to escape but the white top over her leotard acts as a straightjacket . One audience member has the white top gently put on and an arm of the jacket is pulled toward the dancer, while later another audience member is fiercely clung to.
The final room is the ’Pink’ room where all the segments of the audience are reunited standing on a stage. Pink theatrical haze billows out. The music pulsates and throbs as the audience becomes surrounded by a large cast of eight dancers , who enter barefoot again using high demi pointe, including a solitary male. At times the dancers freeze in tableaux like sculptures, at other times other times they energetically whirl around us.
Audience members should be advised that there is use of theatrical haze and strobe lighting and this is one of those ‘immersive, interactive’ events where you have to stand the whole time. There were no programs so I can’t identify the cast .
An intriguing production.Running time – roughly an hour.
Artistic Director and Choreographer: Bonnie Curtis
Wonderland was created in collaboration with BCP dance artists.
Dance Artists: Kate Garrett, Olivia Hadley, Romain Hassanin, Bernadett Lorincz, Bridget McAllister, Anna McCulla, Sara Moad, Kara Peake, Jessie Rochford-Barber and Steph Wyburn.
WONDERLAND runs at Annandale Creative Arts Centre 2-11 August 2019
https://bonniecurtisprojects.com/events/wonderland-sydney-2/
For more about Wonderland, visit {Website:10}