Drawing out the demons

Published on December 1, 2007

Circus explores human emotion in ‘KIZAHASHI-Edge’

The Kyoto-based Monochrome Circus returned to Patravadi Theatre last Thursday and Friday for the Thailand premiere of their new "Water House" project, a double-billing comprised of "Monster" and "KIZAHASHI-Edge".

Although this reviewer had not seen Monochrome before, the critical acclaim this contemporary dance company received for "Refined Colours" in its last outing in Bangkok in 2004 had her hoping for an enjoyable show with magnificent stage technology.

The evening started with "Monster" - the curtain rising on choreographer and dancer Yuka Saeki standing still on the darkened stage of the Theatre in the Garden.

Inspired by the works of Hungarian novelist Agota Krisof, as well as Anglo-Irish painter Francis Bacon, whose works chiefly depict human figures in grotesquely distorted postures, the solo intended to invite the audience to join in the search for the "monster within the human psyche".

The release of this "monster" was illustrated through jerking movements that began at the feet and lit by a red spotlight representing rage, danger and desire. Though the motions eventually progressed upwards, the dancer didn't leave her spot under the spotlight for some 15 minutes until the lighting, created by Dumb Type's Fujimoto, switched to small bulbs placed offstage left.

After that, all the audience witnessed was another series of jerking and struggling movements. Although the use of stage space was structured, the choreography looked and felt somewhat like an improvisation.

While the jerky movements may seem suited to a portrayal of humanity's more monstrous sides, the performance fell flat, making the 20-odd minutes feel ridiculously long.

Sometimes an abstract piece of performance art might not be understood right away. You may go blank while watching the show, but it lingers in the memory nevertheless, with some pieces falling into place later. In the case of "Monster", however, the performance never really added up and at least, for this reviewer, the blanks were left empty.

Fortunately, the second part of this show didn't suffer the same fate. The duet, "KIZAHASHI-Edge", or "Visions on the Edge", was, interestingly enough, performed within the space of a one-square-metre table. A woman perched on top, a man underneath - the woman was restricted by the surface; the man confined within the area of the four legs.

Yuki Goda began by moving under the table, while Yuka Saeki lay still on top of it. His movements remained fluid despite the limited space, while his actions were beautifully painful; fragile, yet powerful.

Things became richer as Saeki stood up, simultaneously moving and revealing the 100 or so knives scattered on the tabletop. The movements of the two dancers became increasingly energetic. Goda, at one point, banged his head several times onto the table, and Saeki, with the same kind of force, swept the metal knives wildly off the surface, clanking loudly as they landed on stage.

After all these painful struggles on both sides of the table, the piece ended with Goda lying on his back and lifting one edge of the table with his feet, while Saeki stood on top trying not to fall off.

The piece mirrored the human condition - conflicts, suppressed emotions and frustrations. It demonstrated how we are constantly placed on the edge of painful situations that we fight against to keep our spirits up and our souls in place.

While perhaps not as "cool" a performance as Monochrome Circus' previous performance in Bangkok, "KIZAHASHI-Edge" was certainly engrossing and thought-provoking.

It's been an artistically and culturally fruitful, and hence memorable, November at Patravadi Theatre.

All the space has been used to host a range of activities, including a dance-and-theatre photography workshop and a Buddhism-themed exhibition by Swiss cameraman Beat Presser; a contemporary dance-theatre show by local company Komonlagoon; a butoh performance by Japanese master Ko Murobushi; a talk show by TV celebrities; Monochrome Circus' double-bill; a Loy Krathong party; and then another photography workshop by local lensman Thanaboon "Ace" Somboon.

From today, Patravadi Theatre is holding introductory and intermediate levels of Commedia dell' Arte workshops conducted by Italian master Marco Luly. For details, visit Patravadi-Theatre.com, call (02) 412 7287-8 or e-mail patravaditicket@gmail.com.

The writer can be contacted at min_ballet@hotmail.com.

Jasmine Baker

Special to The Nation