Hofesh Shechter at South Hill Park
Published 14 Oct 2010 12:00
0 Comments
Share this
See also:
The internationally renowned Hofesh Shechter Company performed their latest sensation, Political Mother, in a unique, high-octane dance performance at South Hill Park’s Wilde Theatre.
As I entered the haze filled theatre I could sense an air of excitement from the audience and I felt that this would be a memorable evening and certainly was not wrong.
Political Mother exploded onto the stage with bursts of enthralling political imagery, which examined such issues as political oppression, political regimes and the lives of those who have become slaves of a political takeover and those who have been set free.
The performance used an assortment of techniques including dance, rock music, classical music drums, singing and lighting sliced effectively and atmospherically across the stage.
The choreography, which at times was a little repetitive, had a tribal feel to it, with jagged, jutting movements the dancers held their hands high as if being swept away by the political regimes.
Other sections showed the contrast of a deflated population dressed in prison-like garments moving around the stage as if bound with shackles to their feet.
At times the dancers playing supporters of the regime were inspired by military style drummers who played intermittently throughout.
When watching glimpses of a man taking on the role of a dictator one could not help but notice a link with many modern day world leaders as well as dictators from the past, and the audience was lucky enough to receive a unique performance of this character by none other than Hofesh Shechter himself.
As A Political Mother continues its international tour I am fairly certain that audiences will continue to be captured by the show’s intensity. The atmosphere that was simply electric.
Derek Florey
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 14 Oct 10
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our The Guide archives.
