This piece of physical theatre leaps off a very active stage at the crowd.
New Theatre’s Touring Hub comes alive to the body percussion, sound effects, shouted counts and group movements from Danish queer art company HIMHERANDIT.
The piece opens with five people in white and black gym gear lining the stage with their drink bottles. One by one or in pairs they start patterned movements of feet arm and body movements.
Squeaking runners, body slaps and stamping or jogging to a relentless unison beat make an excellent percussive ostinato that swells in volume and has well controlled musical nuance.
This physical and motoric patterning escalates with overpowering mass effect as local physical movement members swell the group to three times the size.
There is boundary border work from the saluting extras. There is a relentless energy to the group beat. There is nudity in line with removing gym gear and underwear due to the exertion, sweat and layering down and the overpowering group exercise increases to a frenzy.
A spoken epilogue from the creator urges us to take the energy and collaboration and diverse community effort displayed to be bold, happy, daring and never inert in this troubled contemporary world.
A massive impact and energy transfer results. Mass Impact as a show and group physicality is very fit. It lives up to its name and will not be quickly forgotten.
This is perfect Fringe-worthy fare for lovers of the physical, the physical form and a full, diverse, brave approach to existing. A unison energy is offered and will give definite rhythm to your local life courtesy of these visiting creatives.
Mass Impact plays at the New Theatre-touring hub for Sydney Fringe until Sep 20
