Staging and Ku...
The Playhouse Company's resident dance
troupe are back with fresh faces and fierce choreography with their production Trafficked which formed part of the
Playhouse Women’s Arts Festival this year.
The Loft Theatre at the Playhouse is most
suited for intimate and challenging stories and this time is no different.
Contemporary dance has a knack of tackling sensitive issues and in this production
the choreography gives us insight into the trauma and torment of human
trafficking, looking insightfully at the trafficking of African bodies.
I found the choreography to be diverse and
challenging. The solo work was well-balanced with pair and group work and kept
you intrigued all the way. The music and sound effects matched well with the
theme being explored. They also established myriad rhythms with some heartrending
movements. I enjoyed the use of the hand-held torch which was used to light
sections as well as giving a sense of motion and movement. The dancers are
impeccable and created not just thought-provoking dance but also a sense of
disparity, anxiety, brokenness and desperation. I thoroughly enjoyed the aerial
lifts and contact improv as well as the dramatics of it all.
The steel mesh walls and hessian sack
costumes created a stark and dangerous feel. The lighting was very well
considered with bars and colour choices. I did feel that some sections towards
the end were over-extended and that the final moment could have been reached
earlier. This being said, the story is very clear and the rebellion obvious.
This was a delightful piece that was well suited to the Women's Month Festival
which ran this weekend as the Playhouse Company. - Verne Rowin Munsamy
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