Dance piece’s delivery engaging, consuming
FIRST and foremost, it must be said that it is so good to be back in the theatre watching live performances, albeit masked up and in (unfortunately for Footnote) small numbers. Rose Philpott’s first fulllength offering, Dry Spell, is hopefully the end to our dry spell. This performance was an exuberant and welcome distraction from life’s toils.
Dry Spell delves into the concepts of finality and being human. The five dancers, Oliver Carruthers, Emma Cosgrave, Veronica ChengEn Lyu, Levi Siaosi and Cecilia Wilcox, collaborate with Philpott to create this captivating performance. During the 70minute performance the viewer cannot remove their eyes from the stage. It is immediately engaging and consuming.
The stage is enveloped by draping curtains and a single light. From the beginning, four of the five dancers are encased by a curtain cocoon, leaving one on the outside; perhaps this is an indication of things to come.
Philpott describes this work as ‘‘a moment before an ending’’ — pretty big words with huge implications, but will it deliver?
Throughout the performance the dancers are at times cohesive and entwined, at other times singular and independent.
A staircase provides an escape for some. ChengEn Lu is more than just a captivating dancer, she really invites you into her soul — my plusone and I could not take our eyes off her.
The soundtrack by Eden Mulholland is foottapping and addictive, the subtle lighting was perfectly suited and the costume design was a beautiful patchwork of neutral tones with bright flashes of red.
This performance delivers and more — Philpott needs to create more fulllength productions, is all I have to say.
Dry Spell is an inspirational piece of work that makes the audience take pause and consider.
As Philpott says, ‘‘some of us drink, some of us dance’’.