The Dust We Raised – Project Arts Centre – Review by Louise O’Meara

Dates Sep 12 – 14 @18:15 – Tickets €16/ €14 conc.
Duration 60 mins – Other performance Sep 13 @ 13:00
Venue: Project Arts Centre Space Upstairs

The latest work from choreographer Luke Murphy and Attic Productions explores the progress of genetic science from the late nineteen twenties up to modern day. Seated in single rows along three sides of a sparse space, the audience enter through a curtained doorway into the world of the piece. The set is minimal, with a retro office desk and a silver mirrored sheet positioned at the top of the room.  Through black and white televised recordings, old news sound bites, script from the performers and dynamic movements, we are taken on a journey.

At the helm of this journey is Cork native, Luke Murphy, who directed, designed, choreographed and performs the show. And what a feat this man has pulled off. Murphy has chosen his fellow performers perfectly and the mastery and cohesiveness of the three is a delight to watch.

The heart of the piece lies in the creativity of the dancers when interacting with objects such as balloons, plastic sheets, bubbles and each other, allowing the audience’s imagination to make its own interpretations with the incredible images on offer.

In theatre, it is often a rare and special freedom to trust the audience enough to give them space to create their own understanding and I revelled in the experience of it all.

The three lithe and dynamic dancers power through the foggy landscape of the world they find themselves, taking on different roles and costumes to create vignettes through time.

One particularly disturbing scene where, Jane, the female scientist is directed by her boss to manipulate a subject, as he sits safely behind a Perspex sheet, illustrates just how frightening a world where one human has sublime control over another would be.

I found this piece fascinating as it asks questions of its audience rather than gives them answers. The satisfaction of watching a story that is shown not told, allowed me to go on the journey with the dancers. I was delighted to leave a piece so full of questions. Why all this progress? Is it better?  And why isn’t it enough for us to just be?

Directed, choreographed and designed by Luke Murphy

Performed by Tim Bartlett, Luke Murphy, Emily Terndrup