Barricade [BRIGHTON FESTIVAL 2012]

BIZARRE AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE 

ACROBATIC PERFORMANCE

FILLED WITH CRAZY STUNTS, 

MADCAP HUMOUR AND SOME 

INVENTIVE USES OF STAGING.

Image sourced from http://brightonfestival.org/event/584/barricade/

What's It All About Then?

Free dramatic performance held on Saturday 5th May at Hove Park as part of the Brighton Festival 2012. Barricade was created by NoFit State - a company that has performed in previous years at the Brighton Festival.


Description by the creators: "Two trucks block Hove Park. They disgorge their contents, creating an obstacle to normal paths and daily routines. Suddenly, the wind is rising. People are constructing defences to protect themselves from the storm. They hurry to bring tyres, ladders and other objects in impossible volumes. The barricade they build, a spectacular aerial playground, sets the scene for a maelstrom of breathtaking circus. Barricade invokes a glorious spirit of resistance to empower its people to fight for freedom. A freedom from their own fear, doubt and suspicion".

The stage used in Barricade was awesome in its own right.

So Is It Any Good?

+++ Big Thrills and Skills +++

The show was full of huge set pieces, with the entire stage turned into a giant playground for these very talented performers. They used the main floor, the wings, the rigging - and even had room to fit a full band in for musical accompaniment! 


The action that took place was jaw-dropping - seeing the performers lifted into the air on ladders that are hoisted and lowered in alarmingly swift movements (see very bad picture - right). Later on, there was a terrifying trapeze section that included stunts which seemed virtually impossible - and ended up requiring the safety rope to keep the artist from falling to the floor! Fair play to that woman though, she got straight back into it and tried again - this time pulling off a violent swinging spin while raised 20 feet into the air.


It was clear that these were top-quality performers showing off some of the more creative uses of their talents - the whole show was a whirlwind of jumps, spins and flips - all showcasing some of the finest circus skills that Brighton has seen.

+++ Variety Show +++
Small segments of the show diverted our attention to specific areas - the section badly photographed here involved a guy stuck on a perch above the stage with another performer coaxing him down. Every time he jumped down though, he would land on a trampoline and bounce straight back up! The guy down below then joined in, so the two were leaping between perch and stage in all sorts of acrobatic fashions. It was some nice light relief to the tense,  large-scale action in other parts of the show.


Then there was a middle "fight" scene that involved use of pyrotechnics - including flame staffs twirling through the night and bursts of flame shot into the air. This sensational spectacle lit up the entire park, leading to many "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience. The majority, myself included, were captivated by the brilliant visual drama that unfolded - I don't think my eyes turned from the stage once during the hour-long set.

--- Hard To Follow ---

The main problem I found with the show was the "story". There seemed to be a tale about an authoritarian regime and  people rising up against it - but that was guesswork based on costumes really. The dialogue consisted of some guys with European accents shouting "We must fight!" before cartwheeling across the stage in crazed fashion.


Other sections had a multitude of performers talking about being "sorry for their sins" - with one woman seemingly repeating this in French. I wasn't quite sure why they were doing this and it was quite bewildering for everyone watching - all of the conversations I overheard on the way out of the Park generally went "That was good! No idea what was going on!". "Yep, same here. Looked great but was very confusing".


So the hard-to-understand story detract from the fantastic action being shown - it's just that no-one knew what it was all about. A small issue with a dazzling performance.

Conclusions

This show was very impressive -
each of the performers was showing off spectacular skills throughout.


The variety in scale and mood for the action was good to see - quiet, humorous sections broke up the big action.


If only I knew what the show was all about!
Looking forward to next year's production.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
All images in this review are taken by Brighton Games Trader (except otherwise stated).

Trolleys [BRIGHTON FESTIVAL 2012]

THIS REVIEW IS GOING TO SOUND
AWFULLY STRANGE
BUT BEAR WITH IT.

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE PIECE
THAT WAS A JOY TO WATCH.....


AND WAS ACTED OUT 
WITH SHOPPING TROLLEYS.

What's It All About Then?

A dance performance held on Saturday 19th May at Marina Square, Brighton Marina.


Trolleys was created by Australian choreographer Shaun Parker and London’s C-12 Dance Theatre.

Described as "a new street ballet for five supermarket trolleys… Five shopping trolleys randomly appear in a public space. Two meet and fall in love. One grapples to find a friend. Three others revolt and ignite a dance of anarchy. Part street dance, part ballet, part acrobatic spectacle, Trolleys is a high-octane, highly physical and humorous outdoor performance – on wheels!".

So Is It Any Good?

+++ Dramatic Performance +++

The tagline of "new street ballet for... trolleys" is perfectly fitting. This is a dramatically-acted piece about five trolleys which interact with each other in weird and wonderful ways. The performers move themselves in perfect co-ordination and make the trolleys spin in beautiful patterns.


At points, two trolleys will take centre stage - playing off one-another and featuring some tense, spectacular moments - which all revolve around these cages of metal on wheels.

The performers show some fantastic acrobatic skills during the course of the show - such as flips, cartwheels and twists - all over the trolleys. The pictures here show some of the moves being performed and there was a lot more where that came from.


This was all weaved in with little sections where different scenes were acted out - one trolley being singled out and  isolated from the others (which presented in a sheep/sheepdog type movement) - others where serenity would be shattered by the sudden flipping, spinning and swerving of a few of the group. Each was placed for maximum effect - so that a slow section would suddenly burst into action all around. It was wonderful to watch and really breathtaking.

Almost captured him doing a back flip off the trolley.

+++ Enjoyable Entertainment +++

The playful way that the performers weaved around each other was great to see - they had smiles on their faces for the majority of the show and as a result I found myself smiling too.


The careful precision, along with some daring moves while standing on the trolleys and a little smile to show they were enjoying themselves, meant that I thoroughly enjoyed watching these five trolley/human hybrids elegantly working their way around the square.


During some of the sections, when all of the performers picked up the trolleys and swung them wildly around in the air, there was the added element of danger for the crowd. There was no barrier between the dancers and the audience - so one slip of a hand could have led to a trolley flying into the onlookers. It was an added thrill that made the performance all the more intense! 



I had serious health concerns for shoppers at the Asda down the road though - the amount of trolley-related injuries through amateur dancing must have skyrocketed following this show!

+++ Violin Complement +++

To round it all off, the violin soundtrack which accompanied the piece perfectly matched the movements being shown. The violin was used in slow, drawn notes during the peaceful sections and rose to sharp, short notes that increased in intensity as the action built to a climax. 


It fitted the tone and feeling of the show so well that it almost faded into the background as I became more absorbed with the performance - just washing over me as I let the flowing patterns formed by these everyday items hold my attention.


As such, every part of the show worked well together - there is virtually nothing that I can complain about. I can only praise the idea, choreography and execution of the performance - and hope to see more from these fantastic dancers/writers in the future.

Conclusions

I found this to be the most interesting thing I have seen so far at the Brighton Festival 2012.


It had personality, flair and showed off some incredible skill. The dancers seemed to enjoy performing the piece and I loved watching it.


Seriously amazing stuff - I really recommend seeing these guys perform if you get the chance.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any images in this review are taken by Brighton Games Trader.

Push [BRIGHTON FESTIVAL 2012]

A CAPTIVATING DANCE PERFORMANCE
WITH NOTHING EXCEPT 
TWO GUYS PUSHING EACH OTHER.


THIS NEAR-VIOLENT LOOK AT
THE COMPLEX DYNAMICS OF RELATIONSHIPS 
WAS A TRULY INTENSE SPECTACLE.

What's It All About Then?

Free performance held in Marina Square, Brighton Marina on Saturday 19th May as part of the Brighton Festival 2012. Choreographed and performed by Company Chameleon, also known as Kevin Edward Turner and Anthony Missen.

With no props or staging, minimal musical input and not a word of dialogue, this piece is described by the creators as "....look[ing] at the different stances we take when we relate to one another, and how the complex nature of our psychology means at times we push to exert our dominance and control, and at others we submit and yield".

So Was It Any Good?

+++ Powerful Expression +++

With such stripped back tools at their disposal, these guys manage to convey a vast and deep set of feelings. 


To begin with, one actor will take control. He will grab the other - quite violently at times - and positions his counter into a pose. He may then force the pose to change. He may step back for a second and look at how the other is positioned. They will then come back together into an embrace before finally control is balanced - the other actor moves freely again.


After this the other actor may take the lead, again moving his counter to his will and directing the flow of motion. The serene expression of one is matched with a fierce glare from the other - and at times they gaze at each other as if in love.


The piece for me invoked the ebb and flow of a dysfunctional relationship - I couldn't pinpoint if the guys were showing a romantic relationship or something akin to a broken sibling relationship - but the trademark signs were there. They would be together for a while, make peaceful collaborative efforts before a tense, sinister scene ensues - a fight - an argument - or maybe just a confrontation - where both will come away separately, injured and upset. This won't last long however - sooner or later they will rejoin, intertwine their lives and start the whole hostile cycle once more.

+++ Such Strength +++

The positions held by these two guys - for ten seconds at a time or more - are feats of incredible strength. Their bodies held rigid and still even while in the most awkward of poses. At times, the crowd gasped in incredulity at the impressive lifts and rolls shown by these talented performers.










They were well timed, well executed and gobsmacking to see in real life. The pictures shown here are just a small selection of the dozens of carefully woven holds that they showed during their thirty minute show. There was no need for acrobatic flips or equipment - just these two slowly floating around the stage, spinning and holding each other beautifully. 

--- Noise Complaints ---

My only real gripe with the performance was the sound. The music which accompanied was fairly minimal - light electronic chords chimed in and out with the movement.


It worked very well - in principle - and helped convey the troubled and jagged emotions behind the scenes.


The problem was that the discordant notes that emphasised key points were slightly unpleasant on the ears - this would have been a bit of a negative point on its own - but in addition to this the small speaker set was turned up way too high.


It couldn't handle the high notes along with the low bass notes and so came out as a screeching noise during these peaks. If the performance has taken more account of the speakers that were being used - and made sure to turn them down slightly or edit the music so that these parts were less painfully amplified - then I wouldn't have been distracted from the utterly amazing visuals. A small issue with a great performance.

Conclusions

Push was a fantastic display of what these two guys can do - create a powerful, moving piece that is both carefully acted and skilfully danced.


The visuals were absolutely spot on -
the sound was a minor issue that I may not have experienced if I was sitting much further away from the speakers - 
but I wanted the best view for this beautiful artistic performance.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any images in this review were taken by Brighton Games Trader.

Special - Sunday, Monday, Happy Days - 20/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

SUNDAY 20TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is a bit of an update on what's been going on recently and what is coming up very soon.

There's been so much going on that I've got plenty of stuff that I want to review, with virtually no time to actually review it all!


As mentioned in earlier posts, at this time of year in Brighton - where I currently live - the BRIGHTON FESTIVAL and BRIGHTON FRINGE take place. There are literally hundreds of acts taking place all across the city for the majority of May - so far I have seen: several bands, comedians and sketch acts, dance acts, circus skill performances and dramatic pieces... and there's loads left to come!


As this is a special time of year - and as I love to hype up this wonderful festival season - I am devoting the next week or two to mainly festival reviews. There won't be any daily doses for this coming week - as I just want to get reviews of these great contemporary acts posted.


I've still got plenty of game, TV and music reviews coming up too - so to make things easier I've got a rough schedule for the next few days here (more details to follow).


TODAY - 9PM ONWARDS
PUSH [FESTIVAL]
WE WON'T ROCK YOU [FRINGE]
JACK WHITE - BLUNDERBUSS [CD]


MONDAY 21ST - 8PM
TROLLEYS [FESTIVAL]
BRIGHTON MUST-SEES [FRINGE]


TUESDAY 22ND - 8PM
BARRICADE [FESTIVAL]
ST. ANN'S WELL GARDENS SPRING FESTIVAL


WEDNESDAY 23RD - 8PM
OTHER VARIOUS LITTLE ACTS


THURSDAY 24TH - 8PM
WORLD OF GOO [ANDROID]
RADIANT DEFENSE [ANDROID]
GAME OF THRONES - SERIES 1 [TV]
BRUNO MARS - DOO-WOPS AND HOOLIGANS [CD]

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!

Special - Super Sunday! - 17/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

THURSDAY 17TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Hi everyone!

Not a proper DAILY DOSE today as I've been majorly busy with work, study and enjoying eclectic entertainments.

So I'm just giving a little heads up - 

COME BACK ON SUNDAY.

I've got this weeks' reviews and some special features due to be released - 

they just need some fine tuning before I post them!

Got reviews coming up for: 

- a CD or 2 (time-dependent) 

- a PS3 game

- 2 Android games

- a comedy event [Brighton Fringe]

- a live gig review [Brighton Fringe]

AND a theatrical performance! [Brighton Festival]

So - see you on Sunday!

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!

Special - Brighton Festival - 06/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

SUNDAY 6TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is a special look at what's going on in my home city at the moment - 

THE BRIGHTON FESTIVAL 2012!

Every year, throughout May, Brighton hosts a wide and eclectic range of arts events - music, dance, theatre, comedy, circus acts, graphical installations, street performances and everything in-between.

Last night I went to see one of the first performances, BARRICADE - by noFit State Theatre. It was an intense, acrobatic and utterly-bizarre performance but was incredible to see (and it was free!).

So, for all the particularly noteable performances that I see during the festival, I will try to post a little review and some pictures too!

There's about 30 events that I want to see - so expect plenty more Brighton Festival 2012 updates during May!

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!

Any images in this post are subject to relevant copyrights. They are kindly provided by: http://www.businessinbrighton.org.uk/news/join-brighton-dome-festival-membership