With the show GAME ON, two performing arts, Bobby Singh an Indian tabla and local contemporary dancer, Miranda Wheen, responding with contemporary dance, played real good for free for just over an hour to an appreciative audience.

There were times during the evening when Wheen was run ragged by Singh’s awesome speed, and at one time Wheen had to towel down in the far right corner of the stage. At other times, the banter between the two artists, was more quizzical, casual and even humorous.

Arts Radar staged the cross-cultural dance-music duet on three consecutive days at the Studio theatre at the Sydney Opera House. Annalouise Paul came up with the concept and choreography and was aided by Peter Kennard’s astute musical dramaturgy.

Bobby Singh, in a brief post show chat with the audience, revealed that he found the cross-cultural exchange challenging. Singh spoke of how difficult it was for him to adapt to the new style of free form playing that was needed by the collaboration after playing for the last 25 years in strict time!

Annalouise Paul ended the evening by hoping that GAME ON was just the beginning of cross-cultural dance/music discourse and that there would be plenty of intriguing work by her ‘team’ and others to follow.

An Arts Radar production, GAME ON played the Studio theatre, Sydney Opera House on the 13th, 14th and 15th August, 2011.

David Kary