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“I see it but I don’t believe it”
Viewers will have their hearts in their mouths and be left gasping in this incredible show by Gravity and Other Myths. in a co-production with women’s vocal ensemble Aurora (Young Adelaide Voices). It shows what an incredible, strong, flexible, well trained human body is capable of.
The choir sang Ekram Eli Phoenix’s music , composed to resemble one’s pulse. In a segment where the choir was chiefly combined with Gravity’s performers, he used the passamezzo bass from Monteverdi’s Lamento della ninfa as a source for a terrific exchange which spotlit Aurora’s conductor, Christie Anderson, who is also the remarkable mezzo-soprano soloist.
The curtain slowly rises to expose a bare stage, with an eerie echoing soundtrack (Aurora) and dramatic lighting (Geoff Cobham). The lighting throughout the performance was amazing , including silhouettes, shadows, washes of colour and spotlights – the revelation of an emerald aurora borealis on a white screen is eminently arresting.
With Gravity’s cast in white and off-white costumes, and Aurora’s in black, a sense of minimalist bifurcation is observed, human bodies seamlessly marshalled, collected and steered, creating a sense of fusion and collaborative exchange but also division. Gravity’s astonishing performers energetically walk, circle, run, leap (sometimes backwards!) toss and catch each other, plunge in a scary, tense, drop towards the stage, before being safely caught, form extraordinary human pyramids, sometimes have short breathless solos (one almost breakdancing), before rejoining the ensemble, kneel and dynamically collapse for sudden slithery floorwork in breath taking, death defying routines.
A very flexible back is required. In this filmed version we also get to see the wrist or ankle bands worn and the bandaided feet. They glide with meticulousness through Cobham’s five kilometres of pulsing computer-controlled lattice of ropes. In another section Gravity’s performers swirl and construct a human mountain /staircase, with one performer walking supported by the other holding her feet in the ‘Murphy Walk ‘.
Accomplished, fluid and refined, this work celebrates our hearts and being alive .
A rich and refined work, vigorous, playful and full of life.
Running time 75 minutes
https://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/digital/the-pulse
