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Friday, January 26, 2018

PARAPHERNALIA OF SUFFERING


(Tegan Peacock)

The Theatre – St Anne’s College and ReRouted Dance Theatre will present Paraphernalia of Suffering in Hilton.

Lynn Chemaly, Theatre Director of St Anne’s Diocesan College explains the concept: “As members of society, we are bombarded with information on a daily basis, and much of this we receive subliminally. As consumers, we become the driving force behind this economic rat race we find ourselves living in, whether consciously, or unconsciously. We choose to ‘buy’ into this concept, blurring the lines between what we are conditioned to want, and what we actually need. As a result, we often escalate into dissatisfaction, distancing ourselves even further from the reality of our world.”

Paraphernalia of Suffering is a 20-minute dance theatre exploration featuring Tegan Peacock combining elements of contemporary dance and structured improvisation, and using 30 shopping baskets. The shopping baskets become a metaphor for so many factors in contemporary society; what is being put into these baskets, and who determines their worth? How much of our worth as human beings is determined by how much we spend, and how much paraphernalia we are able to accumulate?

The performance will feature the Form 4 Dramatic Arts Students of St Anne’s College.

The Form 4 Drama Residency programme is linked to Dramatic Arts Senior phase skills training and aims to give girls who are taking Dramatic Arts as a Matric subject certain practical skills and tools that they can use all the way through their three years of study. Professional dancers and choreographers, Tegan Peacock and Ashleigh Joubert, will lead the girls in the weeklong residency with a specific focus on physical performance and working with the theme of Paraphernalia of Suffering.

“The girls will attend four hour-long classes a day, for five days, culminating in this Work-in-Progress performance which will enable them to showcase some of what they have learned and created. They simultaneously get to see their teacher perform on the same platform alongside them. The Form 4 Dramatic Arts Residency Programme continues to be one of our best skills training resources for Dramatic Arts in the school,” continues Chemaly.

Paraphernalia of Suffering takes place on February 2 at 19h00 at The Theatre – St Anne’s College in Hilton. Entry is free but booking is essential on 033 343 6100 or twoodgate@stannes.co.za