Review by Lauren Donikian
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I entered the theatre. White boxes were lined up either side of a single strip of LED lighting in the middle of the room. One lone performer was sitting on one of the boxes as if at the head of the table. Her hair was slicked back in a bun, and she had white powder through her hair, on her face and a bold red lip. She was wearing a white long-sleeved bodysuit and red flowing skirt. She was barefoot. Waiting…
What occurs over the hour-long performance is an immersive and interactive dance performance created by Angela Hamilton. Hamilton is the Founder and Artistic Director of Twisted Element – the Dance company that has brought ‘Ritual’ to life. It is a thought-provoking performance that explores cult society; what is means to be in one, what you experience when you are in one, and how easy it is to join in.
Using choreography, music and lighting Hamilton and the all-female ensemble invite you to join them on their journey. There is a uniformity in all aspects, starting from the simplicity of the costumes, the starkness of the hair and makeup, and the simultaneous moments of choreography where no one is singled out, unless the storytelling is focusing on one character. Mainly the ensemble moves as one or in turn, and the audience gets to join in too. Using contemporary choreography Hamilton explores what it means to be a part of a world that doesn’t appreciate individuality, that wants its members to be carbon copies of each other. The idea that you can adapt or be left in the dark.
Using a very simple set, the white boxes are used throughout the performance and are positioned by the ensemble either in a rectangle, pyramid or spread around the room. The music is sometimes just beats or mechanical sounds, with some house music playing at different points. As someone that danced as a child, I would love to know the counts or cues the dancers used because sometimes there was no music, and as far as I could see no one skipped a beat.
The lighting was also simple, with three single vertical lights hanging on the back wall. There were spotlights and red lighting used throughout, as well lasers at some point and strobe lighting. All the focus was on the performers – and rightly so. This is a powerful group of performers, who are well rehearsed and fully immersed in their roles – never breaking and honouring the truth of the story being portrayed. Ushers in theatre blacks with hoods usher you throughout the space, requesting through hand motions to stand up, sit down, disperse or stand against the wall. It is all very unsuspecting and yet a place where everyone is welcome… if you follow the leader.
There is something about an all-female cast performing perfectly in sync that stirs something in me. ‘Ritual’ is hauntingly beautiful, and I don’t just mean the powder hanging in the air. The choreography shifts from smooth and flowing, to quick and robotic. It’s hypnotizing, and you can either open yourself up to the experience and get involved or sit back and watch everything happen around you. Either way, you are in for a treat!
Image Supplied
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