Ruining The Act – The Complex – Review

“Anxiety, people leasing, going through the motions, existential dread, what do we do to fight and continue putting on the Act?”

Four dancers are on stage at the start of the production dressed in simple pink and white clothing. There is an electronic music soundtrack, similar to New Order with synths and a drum machine. They stride across the stage like models, from one side to the other. The lighting overhead changes as they move. Occasionally they jump, flail and collapse onto the floor. At times they fall into synch, matching each other’s movements but the majority of the time they move in isolation. This is the first of many short dance pieces in this new work.

This production is by choreographer Emily Kilkenny Roddy and was first performed at the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Laois. It also had a one-night stand in the Complex, Dublin on June 8th. It is a collection of short dance pieces, or in the language of the production itself; “a performance, performed by performers”! This is an unusual dance production, as it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There is as much humour in this production as there is dance or movement.

At one point, a voice of a middle-aged man is played through the PA system. He tells us that there is no money in the arts and that you need to get yourself a job in adverts for companies like Dunnes Stores or Boyle Sports! An alternative is to take up clowning, which pays poorly but there is quite often a buffet at the event! The performer seems attentive to every word from the unseen speaker, reacting to his barbed comments. The dancer slowly changes into clown clothing, complete with a red nose and bulb horn!

Another sequence is a spoken word piece by one of the performers, who tells us about background artists and other small roles in the film world. The performer repeats these lines with small variations while being pulled and pushed by the other dancers.

The world of dance is often called po-faced. Interpretative dance is used as a byword for the more difficult edge of the arts. If more people saw productions such as this, it might go a long way to let people know that dance, just like any art form, comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes. It’s a warm and playful production that is constantly changing, offering the audience a touch of the “old razzle dazzle” through comedy, spoken word and dance!

CREDITS:

Choreographed by Emily Kilkenny Roddy
Performed by Sibeál Davitt, Millie Daniel Dempsey, Rosie Mullin & Emily Kilkenny Roddy
Sound Design by Oliver Ryan
Lighting Design by Kevin Murphy
Costume Design by Tobi Balogun
Produced by Sophie Coote
Image by Micheal Behan
Poster Design by Ste Murrary