Edinburgh Festival Insider - Pick of the Fringe 2009

Although I'd seen Zen Zen Zo's showreel and read about Zeitgeist's bold, cutting-edge take on contemporary physical theatre and dance, nothing prepared me for actually seeing this live.

The only point I didn't sit and marvel open-mouthed as their startlingly original and visually outstanding show progressed was when they threw eggs into the audience. Even with that, I was spellbound from start to finish.

A wonderfully physical group of talented dancers and artists, Zen Zen Zo have had much praise heaped upon them from many established sources this year as well as from me and - after much deliberation - the vision, integrity and style of Zeitgeist have resulted in it being given the highest accolade I have to offer.

Edinburgh Festival Insider - Dance / Physical Award 2009

Perhaps my favourite category of the Fringe programme, the dance / physical section always contains shows which challenge, delight and impress with feats of skill, fluid movements and some of the most original works to grace Edinburgh's stage during August.

The nominations for the Edinburgh Festival Insider Dance / Physical Award 2009 are:

• The Chair by C-12 Dance Theatre. A striking and well-choreographed piece from a young UK company that show significant promise.
• C!rca. A beautifully staged and skillful set full of acrobatic movements made to look effortless by a talented group.
• Zeitgeist by Zen Zen Zo. An astonishing, challenging, brave and uncompromising piece which pushed its unique artistic vision straight into your face.
• The Kosh in The Storeroom. An accomplished one-woman performance that contained sequences of beautifully-realised movement and dance.
• Tales of the Apocalypse by Airealism. Wonderful rope, silk and trapeze skills from a group that presented an at-times surreal yet always captivating performance.
  

And the winner is...

Zeitgeist by Zen Zen Zo

A performance which you could not tear your eyes away from, Zeitgeist contained moments of beauty, startling originality, black humour and excellent choreography, courtesy of the acclaimed and uncompromising Zen Zen Zo physical theatre and dance group from Australia. Like some vision from Dante's Inferno, the dancers cavorted, squealed and ultimately dazzled with a show that fast became one of the tickets to secure at the Fringe.

For that, they more than deserve the:

Review: Zeitgeist *****

Judging by the group of besuited and well-dressed people who left Zen Zen Zo's provocative show mid-way through, Zeitgeist is probably not best suited for a civilised evening of corporate entertainment. For anyone who has in interest in cutting-edge contemporary & experimental phsyical theatre, however, it's pretty much a must.

Eight near-naked creatures are magically brought to life before our eyes and then, for the next 65 minutes, experience the full gamut of emotion and feelings with childlike wonder, glee and fear. A series of marvellously choreographed and executed pieces seem to each represent one of the deadly sins, with the energetic troupe losing themselves in the throes of lust, parading around like parodies of proud supermodels, or - in the scene which merits the "caution...flying food" warning on the show's publicity - consumed by gluttonous obsession.

Zeitgeist is performed by the Australian-based Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre company, whose members have performed previously with The Dresden Dolls and Amanda Palmer. Unafraid to compromise any aspect of their artistic vision, Zen Zen Zo challenge, startle and astonish with Zeitgeist, with scenes of sheer beauty coupled with those of meticulously-planned and spellbinding chaos.

Zeitgeist runs until Aug 31st (not 17th) at C Venues. £11.50 (£10.50 concession)