Stage: An exhilarating masterclass

Solera
director Jude Kelly
choreography Fernando Romero
lighting Tom Wickens
guitars Paco Peña, Dani De Morón, Rafael Montilla
dancers Angel Muñoz, Adriana Bilbao, Gabriel Matias
singers Inmaculada Rivero, Iván Carpio
percussion Julio Alcocer
Sadler's Wells, London • 20-24.Apr.22

In some ways, iconic guitarist Paco Peña's world premiere stage production Solera is like a masterclass in flamenco, easily accessible to audiences who are new to this powerfully evocative artform. It's also a complex, roaring expression of how the past, present and future intermingle among artists who speak to each other with music and dance. So this show feels almost staggeringly intimate, as if it's a privilege to be watching it. And each mesmerising number is a show-stopper.

The title is term from Andalusia referring to how younger wines top up more mature wine to maintain a consistent blend. So this show begins with the cast listening to a tape recording of an elder musician. The first half is set in a rehearsal studio, as nine performers from three generations gather together, encouraging and provoking each other. Watching this feels almost illicit, as if we're being allowed into a private space in which flamenco itself is being defined, memorialised and pushed forward in new directions. 

At 79, Peña is the patriarch, leading two fellow guitarists while riffing with the best flamenco singers, dancers and musicians in the world. At 28, dancer Gabriel Matias leads a youthful charge of raw talent. His shapes and frames are staggeringly sharp and beautifully formed, revealing both skilful control and a sense of intensely moving artistry. This contrasts with Angel Muñoz, a legendary dancer whose experience shows in his playful expressions and confident innovation. Between them, Adriana Bilbao maintains her own fierce energy, adding flourishes of colour and musicality. Chiming in with the singers and musicians, they all push further and further.

After the interval, the show shifts into a series of modern-style performance pieces that are simply breathtaking in their delicate textures, earthy energy and gut-level emotions. No longer in street clothes, the performers are dressed for the stage, which allows the lighting to augment the spectacular movement alongside the exquisite music. Each performer gets a chance to shine, punching so much energy onto the stage that it's almost overwhelming to watch. A highlight is a soaring guitar trio between Peña and colleagues Dani De Morón and Rafael Montilla. 

Belting singers Inmaculada Rivero and Iván Carpio convey the wrenching emotions of flamenco in a variety of sequences, but also get one piece that expresses unfiltered joy. And the astonishingly gifted percussionist Julio Alcocer gets his own extended moment in the spotlight. Then as everything comes together in a perfect blend of guitar, percussion, voice and movement, the show reaches truly epic proportions. It leaves us invigorated with hope, and impatient to see Matias on stage a few decades, facing off against rising stars to both remind us of the power of flamenco and push it forward for a new generation.

for information, visit SADLER'S WELLS • 20.Apr.22

Critical Week: Hyper-masculinity

For some reason, I only had one press screening this past week. Film criticism has been contracting for about a decade now, and I am getting increasingly exhausted chasing screenings of big Hollywood studio movies, which are about the only ones that get wide releases. It's easier to keep up with smaller films, both with press screenings and viewing links. I've never needed to watch everything (that would be impossible anyway), and I will no longer relentlessly pursue screenings. I'd rather spend my evenings watching stage performances anyway, and hope to do more writing about these.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Charli XCX: Alone Together
The Northman • The Lost City
ALL REVIEWS >

As for that one screening, it was a good one. Robert Eggers' astonishing Viking action epic The Northman is a wildly thrilling film with full-bodied performances from Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang and Anya Taylor-Joy. I also watched The French Boys 4, another collection of terrific French short dramas about complex masculinity from the folks at NQV. And that left me with a bit of time to catch up with three very different movies I'd missed along the way...

The Adam Project
dir Shawn Levy; with Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo 22/US ***
This time-travel romp isn't nearly as smart as it tries to be, but it's definitely entertaining. The reliably witty Reynolds plays a fast-talking jerk who travels back from 2050 to the present, where he needs help from his annoying 12-year-old self (the sharp Walker Scobell) to save the timeline. As Adam's dad, Ruffalo brings some terrific attitude, as do Jennifer Garner, Catherine Keener and Zoe Saldana. And the effects are first-rate. While the usual time-twisting chaos adds plenty of interest, it's a shame the story and characters are never much deeper than a warm hug.

Studio 666
dir BJ McDonnell; with Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel 22/US **.
Goofy humour and terrific old-school effects infuse this horror romp in which the Foo Fighters play themselves, recording their 10th album in a properly creepy rock-n-roll Encino mansion that was the site of a grisly murder. In the grip of writer's block, Dave Grohl is convinced he's already composed all of his original songs, then he's possessed by a demonic spirit. Slasher movie antics follow. The film tries to be funny and scary, but ends up merely silly and grisly. Although there are hilarious moments (and cameos) along the way, plus lots of fun for the band's fans.

Loev
dir Sudhanshu Saria; with Dhruv Ganesh, Shiv Pandit 15/Ind **** 
I missed this Indian drama six years ago at BFI Flare, then re-met the filmmakers at this year's festival and caught it on Netflix just before it disappears. It's an unusually nuanced drama about a complex romantic triangle, as Sahil (Ganesh) takes old friend Jai (Pandit) on a weekend trip. But Sahil is also preoccupied about his relationship with his boyfriend Alex (Siddarth Menon). The characters have big personalities that aren't always likeable, so the way they interact is both sharp and sometimes provocative. It's also made in an earthy style that finds unexpected wit and emotion while never overstating the themes.

This coming week, I have a number of films to watch, including Gaspar Noe's Vortex and the shorts collection Upon Her Lips: Butterflies. And I have two theatre press nights as well.

Stage: Athletic artistry

Elements of Freestyle
by ISH Dance Collective
director-choreographer Marco Gerris
dramaturg Arnout Lems
lighting Mike den Ottolander • set Jerry Beckers
with Luis Alkmim, Michael van Beek, Vera van der Bie, Sven Boekhorst, Jelle Briggeman, Thomas Krikken, Bart van der Linden, Dez Maarsen, Dietrich Pott, Arnold Put, Annie Tangberg, Pim Wouters
Peacock Theatre, London • 13-23.Apr.22

Blending dance, music and extreme sports, the Netherlands' ISH Dance Collective takes over the Peacock stage with an explosion of energy and a cast of astonishingly talented performers. The range of skills is so impressive that even some issues with lighting and scene transitions don't weaken the impact. This is a triumphant display of the point where artistry and athleticism meet. It's also riotously entertaining, especially for impressionable kids who will want to try this at home.

The show opens with nine acrobatic performers lined up across the stage, itching to get moving. And they certainly do, flinging themselves into the air. They then reappear on a darkened stage with pointed illuminations, including a glowing basketball and brightly lit wheels on skates, a skateboard and a bicycle. From here they begin to introduce themselves individually to the audience in segments that interact and overlap with each other in ways that are increasingly revelatory.

BMX champion Dez Maarsen is at one with his bike, spinning and balancing in seemingly impossible configurations. Juggler Michael Van Beek spins basketballs in mind-bending ways that make the audience gasp. Skateboarder Pim Wouters and inline skaters Jelle Briggeman and Sven Boekhorst soar across the stage, up and over the ramps, throwing shapes in the air. Freerunner Luis Alkmim bounces over, under and around each surface effortlessly. And breakdancers Thomas Krikken, Arnold Put and Deitrich Pott put on a series of jaw-dropping mini-shows.

Each of these young men includes dance moves in his act, which adds an unusual fluidity to their feats of physical strength. Tight choreography lifts the breakdance sequences into something unexpectedly beautiful, while the magnetic Krikken's inventive extended solo turn is easily the highlight of the show. Through all of this, there are musicians on either side of the stage: Vera van der Bie on violin and Annie Tangberg on cello shatter any perceived limits on their instruments in gloriously heavy metal style.

It never really matters that the show is a bit rough around the edges, leaving some key moments in inexplicable darkness while neglecting to hold the interest while ramps and platforms are transformed into new spaces. Because it's utterly riveting when these performers get back into action like an artfully eye-opening five-ring circus. They bob and weave around each other, playfully getting involved in each others' acts. And the all-moving, flipping, spinning, balancing finale is simply awesome.

For tickets and information: SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Alex Brenner, Andrew Eaton, Studio Breed • 13.Apr.22

Critical Week: Take a load off

Bigger movies continue to turn up at the box office each week, signalling a return to the pre-lockdown pattern of one blockbuster per week. And press screenings are also getting a bit more colourful as a result. We had two big screenings this week, starting with the Nicolas Cage pastiche action comedy bromance The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, which is even more fun than expected. Going full-method as himself, Cage and up-for-it costar Pedro Pascal dive fully into the ridiculous story, and they keep the audience right with them. There was also Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the third chapter in the whizzy but oddly uninvolving Harry Potter prequel franchise. This one is much more momentous, and the actors (notably Jude Law and Mads Mikkelsen) make it worth a look. I also caught up with Michael Bay's latest over-the-top action thriller Ambulance, a choppy but very entertaining ride through Los Angeles with the superb Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen and Eiza Gonzalez.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Compartment No 6 • Small Body
Poppy Field • Cow
PERHAPS AVOID:
Agent Game • Sonic the Hedgehog 2
ALL REVIEWS >

Further afield were the by-numbers spy thriller Agent Game, which has a strong cast (Dermot Mulroney, Jason Isaacs, even Mel Gibson) but rarely rises above its cliches. French actor-filmmaker Valerie Lemercier's Aline is a fictionalised biopic about Celine Dion, and it's as bonkers as you hope it will be. From Ireland, You Are Not My Mother is a stylish dramatic horror that properly gets under the skin. And from France, Anais in Love is a sunny, chatty comedy-drama that recounts an awkward coming of age.

For this coming week I have no press screenings in the diary, but I do have some links to watch at home, for films including Eva Longoria in the comedy Unplugging, James Duval in the comedy I Challenger and the Japanese triptych Sexual Drive. I also hope to see Alexander Skarsgard in The Northman, most likely buying a ticket for a regular cinema.

Screen: April TV Roundup

Recent travels and a film festival put me out of sync with television series, which I watch in gaps between movies to cleanse my palate, like an amuse bouche. And of course, the more I write about shows, the more are sent to me to watch before they air, so keeping up gets trickier and trickier. But I'm working through things! And here are things I've watched over the past couple of months...

Peacemaker
A riotous blast of James Gunn nuttiness, this DC spinoff is packed with terrific characters who are all at cross-purposes with each other. They're also unusually flawed for a superhero show, which makes them far more gripping to watch. John Cena is perfection as the too-focussed title character. Everything he says sounds sexist or racist, even though he's neither (his father, played unapologetically by Robert Patrick, is both and then some). Some of this is too wacky for its own good, but the central plot is surprisingly involving, and the core characters begin to feel like family: we wouldn't want to live with them, but we care. (HBO)

This Is Going to Hurt
Ben Whishaw gives a spectacularly committed performance as an NHS ob-gyn barely clinging to sanity amid the everyday chaos of his job. Writer Adam Kay based this on his experiences, and it plays at a blackly hilarious fever pitch, skilfully evoking the feeling of life out of control, plus a sense of impending doom. Thankfully the script continually surprises us, as do the unusually complex characters, with fine support from Ambika Mod (as Adam's newbie colleague), Rory Fleck Byrne (his gorgeous fiance), Alex Jennings (his thoughtless boss) and the great Harriet Walter (his imperious mother). And it's difficult to recall a more emotionally devastating series than this one. (BBC)

The Book of Boba Fett 
While it looks great, making the most of its desert planet setting and first-rate effects, this spinoff series meanders between two timelines to tell the underwhelming story of the title character, played with understated steeliness by Temuera Morrison. Then it suddenly shifts and becomes its parent show The Mandalorian, which is much more involving. The overarching plotlines are a little awkward, such as contriving to get Grogu back into the show, but the Pedro Pascal brings some badly needed personality that sustains the simplistic storytelling. This includes a climactic battle sequence that's properly epic but so long and violent that it becomes oddly dull. (Disney)

The Afterparty
A clever premise sets this show apart, especially as it plays out so inventively. After a top actor/singer (Dave Franco) dies at his school reunion, his classmates are quizzed by a detective (Tiffany Haddish). Each episode centres on one person's account, told in different styles (including Ben Schwartz's full-on musical and Zoe Chao's bonkers animation) as bigger details emerge about the characters and their twisted connections over the past 15 years. The excellent ensemble includes Sam Richardson, Ilana Glazer, Ike Barinholtz and a wasted Jamie Demetriou. Each performer dives in fully to the sometimes frantic comedy and edgy drama. (Disney)

The Gilded Age
Is this the most sexless show HBO has ever made? Essentially a far less lusty American Downton Abbey, this lavishly produced series is set in 1880s New York as old money sneers at new, and dramas take place both up and downstairs. After a young woman (Louisa Jacobson) discovers her father has left her nothing, she turns to her estranged, imperious aunts (the fabulous but oddly muted Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon), and secretly befriends their ambitiously wealthy new neighbours (Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector). But it's relentlessly dull, with dense and oddly stilted conversations that leave little space for personality. I gave up after four episodes. (HBO)

Murderville
Too gimmicky for its own good, this comedy stars Will Arnett as a ridiculous detective whose ex-wife (Haneefah Wood) is the chief. Each episode features a rookie partnered with him for one case, with the hitch being that actors are playing themselves without a script and must identify the killer. Guest stars like Sharon Stone, Annie Murphy, Kumail Nanjiani and Conan O'Brien bring their specific energy to the show. So it's a shame that the narrative is set up so specifically that the show feels stale by the second episode. Little is made of the overarching mystery, Arnett is too dopey to be likeable and the only fun is found in the guests' throwaway gags. (Netflix)

Bridesman
One of the first series produced by a hook-up app, this wacky comedy features six brief but over-plotted episodes that follow chatty, self-absorbed Terry (Jimmy Fowlie), a bridesman in the wedding of his rather intense childhood friend Judith (Sydnee Washington). But he's unable to stop fantasising about her dumb-jock fiance (David Mudge). The story mainly centres on the cartoonishly spiky bridesdmaids, while Terry has a couple of superficial sexual encounters. It's bright and camp, and plays on several transgressive ideas, but it completely misjudges its intended audience by being merely goofy rather than even remotely lusty. (Grindr)

A N O T H E R   S E A S O N

Snowpiercer: series 3  
Plotting gets increasingly central with each season, this time digging even deeper into the rivalry between Wilford (grinning villain Sean Bean) and Layton (tenacious nice guy Daveed Diggs). This war involves tactics, attacks and betrayals that grow increasingly nuanced. This isn't as compelling as the social satire of the earlier seasons (or the 2013 film), because the premise and characters are far more intriguing than violent tit-for-tats. But the season builds interest, adding dark complexity as things twist and turn around the growing possibilities that Melanie (Jennifer Connolly) is alive, and there might be somewhere on Earth that's thawing out. (Netflix)

Star Trek Discovery: series 4b
Fans will remain devoted, but this show continues its slide away from more intelligent interpersonal dynamics with each episode, falling back on much less engaging action, threats and antagonism. The superb cast skilfully continues at full speed, even in some dead-end plotlines. But it's tricky to stay engaged when favourite characters depart for realistic (but frustrating) reasons. It's also difficult to get very excited about another "anomaly" and the sciency jargon that goes with it. Still, the twists in the plot do manage to hinge around deeper character issues. And in the first-contact scenario in the final set of episodes, this season generates some terrific thrills. (Peacock)

O N G O I N G

Minx
A strong premise and terrific cast make up for some rather clunky writing in this enjoyable comedy about a group of people trying to launch a female-targetted magazine in the early 1970s, taking on the patriarchy of Playboy and Penthouse. Ophelia Lovibond is solid in a rather thankless role as an uptight feminist journalist who can't quite comprehend the sexy magazine she's editing. But she has great chemistry with Jake Johnson as the counterculture publisher who knows how these things work. Oddly, the show is still shot from a male gaze, essentially apologising for the lashings of masculine nudity. But at least the actors dive without hesitation. (HBO)

The Conners: series 4
As the grandkids begin growing up, this sitcom has found a variety of intriguing things to say about three generations of a family living under one roof. Carrying the plotting forward sometimes feels a bit forced, although the wedding episode did have some classic moments, while officially adding Katey Segal to this messy family. Laurie Metcalf still steals all the best lines, but everyone around her is on fine form too. These characters continue to have a properly current resonance, taking on big issues to create a much more grounded picture of American life than the usual shiny version on television. And the joke hit-rate is unusually high too. (ABC)

This Is Us: series 6
Quite why this show is ending with this season is anyone's guess, as the multi-timeline premise lends itself to endless reinvention. Oddly, these final episodes are circling around themselves rather pointlessly, continually revisiting the same situations and emotions without pushing people in new directions. The cast is still excellent, selling the big feelings even if we've felt them all before. Surely it would have been much better for the audience (and the ratings) to continue to push things forward into new territory, bringing new characters into focal positions. They've really missed a trick, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a spin-off or follow-up in a few years. (NBC)

L A T E   T O   T H E   S H O W

Shrill: series 1-3
I'd never heard about this show, but spotted a box set of all three seasons on my long flight to Los Angeles in March. I watched all of it, and really enjoyed the story of Annie (the likeable and seriously up-for-it Aidy Bryant) as she seeks to make the most of her life, even as everyone criticises her for her weight. Based on Lindy West's memoir, Annie is a superbly complex character, funny and confident, and also full of doubts. Relationships are also nuanced and beautifully played by a terrific ensemble cast (John Cameron Mitchell!). It's a rare TV series that's funny, hopeful and also realistically painful. (Hulu)

NOW WATCHING: Moon Knight, Our Flag Means Death, Minx, Bridgerton (2), Euphoria (2), Star Trek Picard (2), Young Rock (2), The Conners (4), This Is Us (6)
COMING SOON: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Only Murders in the Building (2), The Boys (3), Ozark (4b), Grace & Frankie (7b).

Critical Week(s): Lights, camera, action!

I've rather enjoyed stepping out of my usual routine over the past month or so, with a long catch-up break visiting friends and family after two years, then two weeks of film festival capped by the all-night mayhem of this year's Oscar ceremony. Whether I'll return to my usual schedule is still up in the air, but I'm definitely re-thinking how I spend my time. For example, I was unable to attend the only press screening of Marvel's latest epic Morbius, and I was fine with that. It's the first one I've missed, and I feel that if the studio doesn't want me to see a movie, that's going to be OK from now on. This post is catching up on about two weeks of regular-release movies I watched between festival films... 

BEST NEW FILMS:
The Worst Person in the World
Poppy Field • Jump, Darling
Mothering Sunday • Down in Paris
PERHAPS AVOID:
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
ALL REVIEWS >

The most starry of these films was The Bubble, which being a Judd Apatow movie is of course far too long for what it is: a comedy about making a movie during the pandemic. It has its moments, and the cast is up for it, but tighter editing and sharper writing never go amiss. Much more fun was The Lost City, a relentlessly silly romp in the jungle with Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe. On the other hand, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 merely honed in on the most irritating things about the likeable 2020 movie, so this one feels painfully unfunny and manages to waste Jim Carrey as well.

Further afield, Jennifer Reeder's offbeat horror Night's End is witty and very clever, creating a terrific sense of gnawing fear, plus some big jolts. Francois Ozon's expertly made French drama Everything Went Fine is based on a true story about dying with dignity, but manages to avoid politics for something more engagingly personal. The Shakespeare Sisters adapt William Shakespeare's iconic romance into the present-day comedy Much Ado, making the most of a low budget and talented cast. Antony Hickling's thoughtful odyssey Down in Paris is a fascinating night of earthy soul-searching. And the British horror comedy Followers finds a new way to use video-screen imagery to create tension, even if the film feels a bit thin.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching the blockbuster sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Jake Gyllenhaal in Ambulance, Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Dermot Mulroney in Agent Game, the French comedy Anais in Love, the Irish thriller You Are Not My Mother and the quirky biopic Aline.

Stage: Grappling with identity

Sadler's Wells presents two shows concurrently, 40 Years of Phoenix at the Peacock and Traplord at 180 Studios, both of which explore issues of identity through a distinctly Black perspective. These are unmissable performances that are worth seeking out...

40 Years of Phoenix
with Aaron Chaplin, Alana Cowie, Charlie Naylor, Alabama Seymour, Melina Sofocleous, Yuma Sylla, Matthew Topliss, Shawn Willis
The Peacock Theatre, London
29-30.Mar.22 and on tour until 20.May.22

With this anniversary show, Phoenix Dance Theatre celebrates the four decades since it launched in Leeds in 1981. Artistic Director Dane Hurst has selected five distinctive pieces from the company's history, which he calls "five essential works that display something of the scope and reach of what dance can achieve". Indeed, these are dramatically involving performances, deploying terrifically talented dancers to provoke the audience physically, emotionally and also intellectually.

Signal
Choreographed by Henri Oguike, this rhythmic diptych is performed to Japanese Taiko percussion that reverberates right through the audience. It's an often startling mix of elegance and strength, blending balletic moves with properly intense physicality as the dancers, dressed in striking red and black body suits, interact in a variety of ways that feel deeply human. And the final section, performed with leaping flames on-stage, bursts with energy and intent.

Harmonica Breakdown
Created in 1938 by dancer-choreographer Jane Dudley, this piece plays out to the earthy rhythms of Sonny Terry's eponymous track, danced by Yuma Sylla as if her life depends on it. This is a bracing depiction of human endurance and resilience in the American South, as this woman continues surging forward despite a range of unseen barriers that restrict her progress. But she persists in moving, and she vividly expresses her determination, pain and joy in equal measure.

Family
There's a witty kick to this fascinating play on home life, choreographed by Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith to give voice to a range of family members, including parents, children, an uncle, cousin and boyfriend fighting for his place in the holiday portrait. Centred around an armchair, the movement is clever and often exhilaratingly fluid, as dancers take flight in their interaction, pushing and pulling each other to draw out both humour and darker emotions.

Pave Up Paradise
An inventive, emotionally resonant take on the story of Adam and Eve choreographed by Ben Duke and Raquel Meseguer, this piece includes musician Andrew Burke on-stage performing music by the Strokes, Gomez and Jeff Buckley while two dancers spiral around the stage. It's a rare dance piece featuring lines of spoken text as the performers retrace the creation mythology with their voices and physicality, exploring the connection and tension between male and female perspectives.

Heart of Chaos
Choreographer Darshan Singh Bhuller's fiercely physical work has been revisited in the context of boxer Jack Johnson (played by Aaron Chaplin), his rivalry with Jim Jeffries (Matthew Topliss) and his tumultuous marriage to Etta Duryea (Melina Sofocleous). It's a breathtaking piece that includes riveting dance-based recreations of boxing matches as it grapples with complex ideas of race, masculinity, celebrity and sexuality. As in the other pieces, the dancers' work is staggeringly precise and evocative, here with an added punch of historical context and dramatic urgency. Simply stunning. 

for information: PHOENIX DANCE THEATRE
photos by Foteini Christofilopoulou • 29.Mar.22

Traplord
director-choreographer Ivan Michael Blackstock
with Ivan Michael Blackstock, Chantelle Dawe, Shannelle 'Tali' Fergus, Kanah Flex, Wild G, Kyron Jake, Magero, Robia Milliner, Underwaterkash, Malachi Welch, Chaldon Williams 
music by Michael 'Mikey J' Asante, Brnsrght, Creatxr, Dominant, Denzel Himself, Mindaugas Juozapavicius, Torben Sylvest
180 Studios, London • 26.Mar-16.Apr.22

A staggering burst of pent-up energy, Ivan Michael Blackstock's atmospheric show digs deeply into concepts of masculinity while recounting an epic tale of redemption through a Black point of view. This is a provocative trip through resonant issues of identity and connection that vibrates the audience's bones, while performers bounce around the industrial theatre space with expressions that range from gun violence to heavenly bliss.

Dressed in combat gear with provocatively blacked-in faces, the performers emerge from the darkness with intent, deliberately evoking cliched masculine posturing in a show of strength before the deeper ideas begin to emerge between them. The show includes live music, spoken word and a giant screen that plays on videogame imagery to hint at the internal intensity of daily life for someone whose self-image is at risk if they don't continually level up, as it were. And of course the real quest here is to find the strength to accept and celebrate yourself.

There's an explosiveness to this performance that literally takes the breath away, both in large group scenes and several pointed individualistic moments. The physicality is astonishing, often seemingly loose and random before coalescing into bracing communal choreography. This combination expresses ideas that cut through tough surfaces that are pointedly abrasive, from the distorted sound mix to lights shining straight into the audience's eyes.

In the unstructured narrative, the sympathetic Blackstock appears in a rabbit-eared cap, often hiding from a hulking figure in a pig mask. And the astonishingly bendy Kanah Flex is another stand-out. The range of colliding ideas intentionally challenges the audience to feel this piece rather than to understand it. And while the climactic sequence involving a mythical sword and a crowd of angels feels a little low in energy, the show is capped off by a terrific blast of raw power.

for information: TRAPLORD
photos by Camilla Greenwell • 30.Mar.22