This is young UK-based C-12 Dance Theatre's first year at the Fringe. On the strength of the emotionally-charged style and grace of The Chair, they should definitely be back.Performed without dialogue, The Chair relates the plight of an imprisoned man, haunted by nightmarish visions of his past as he struggles for redemption and forgiveness from those he has wronged.
Superbly choreographed by Annie-Lunette Deakin-Foster, scenes from this tale of inner struggle are depicted with some quite beautiful dance and physical theatre, complemented by effective lighting and a perfectly-matched soundtrack. Deakin-Foster, who also appears as the prisoner's mother, deserves a great deal of credit here, but the performance of Nas Evanson as the lead is outstanding.
Possessing a strength of both body and gaze, Evanson is completely convincing as a man struggling with his demons as he relives past moments of joy, frustration and anger whilst coming to terms with the enormity of his present. His movements are perfectly timed and stated and he brings a power and emotion to the piece that transforms it into something special.
The two other cast members are also accomplished and talented, but the stars of The Chair are undoubtedly Deakin-Foster's original & compelling choreography and Evanson's powerhouse performance.
The Chair runs from August 8th to 31st at Pleasance Zoo. £10 (£7 concession), some shows sold out.
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Great peace and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteMuch Love from East London dance.
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I"m so sorry but I didn't find this piece particularly impressive at all. I was really looking forward to it as it had had such good reviews but I found it choreographically both literal and unimaginative. The whole piece was angst ridden from beginning to end which meant there were very few changes in tempo and dynamic. The piece was predictable and somewhat dull and to be honest I only stayed because I had time to kill before the next show I was due to see. 10/ 10 for effort but 3/10 for result.
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