Toronto Review: 'Radical Vitality, Solos and Duets' at the Bluma Appel Theatre
Joe Szekeres, Chief Toronto Critic
NOTE: I hold no background in dance studies at all. I will comment on the theatricality of the opening night performance.
Although I hold no background in dance studies whatsoever, this limitation did not detract my appreciation of Marie Chouinard’s presentation of a thoroughly intriguing and completely absorbing artistic form in highly specialized movement.
Would I recommend future audiences to attend ‘Radical Vitality, Solos and Duets’? Yes, yes and yes, with a word of caution I will explain shortly.
I discovered in watching how, on this bare stage with stylized lighting of specific playing areas, I didn’t require any specialized understanding of the intricacies of the art of choreographed dance and movement for ‘Radical Vitality’. Instead, I just sat back and allowed my admiration of and fascination for these ten performing artists to let me see a celebration of the body as an expression of an art form which each of us possesses.
To watch ‘Radical Vitality’ allowed me to witness subtle differences between dance, choreography and movement of this cast. These three terms are not synonymous even though all share the common link of movement. This movement, sometimes using dance or choreography, became a celebration of the human body and all that it can perform.
Caution must be noted for future audiences, however. There are some highly adult moments in some of the brief excerpts shared on stage. For example, at the top of the show, a performer crosses with a glass of water and a metallic bucket. She places the bucket centre stage and stands over it. She then drinks the glass of water and, a few seconds later, pees into the metallic bucket. I believe there was probably a hose of some sort with a small tube/container of water under her costume. But the effect did allow us to laugh and, yes, to realize that we all need water to survive and we all must dispel it sooner or later. A male and female performer in unison jump and move about the stage while, in complete synchronicity, echoing sexual moans emanating from humans during lovemaking. Again, a tad jarring, but quite amusing when we realize what this moment is about regarding what our bodies can do. Additionally, the cast are sometimes in various states of undress and will appear nude near the end of the production.
According to Brendan Healy (Artistic Director, Canadian Stage) and Clyde Wagner’s (President and CEO, TO Live) and their Programme note , “Radical Vitality, Solos and Duets gives [audiences] the rare opportunity to delve into the mind of creative genius Marie Chouinard by experiencing 25 dance miniatures and excerpts from her astounding career.” I completely concur with this statement in juxtaposition to the opening night performance as there were some astounding moments for me.
For one, I was rather taken with the preshow in the Lobby of the Bluma Appel entitled ‘In Museum V.2’ Two performers appear with a floor mat and start either dancing or moving around. Someone then stood in front of the playing area and just simply watched what was going on. I couldn’t tell if the person watching was either planted or asked simply to stand there, try not to move and watch the performer. This is exactly what people do in museums. We stand and watch before we move on. Very clever indeed. And yes, a fitting introduction since we would be sitting shortly and the performers in the auditorium would be on a stage in front of us.
What was also highly compelling for me during this hour and a half production was hearing how these lithe, supple, muscular and agile ten performers must rely on using their breath accordingly in order to sustain many of the controlled movements either in choreography or dance. I noticed in several of the duet numbers how close the artists came to each other, sometimes invading personal space, in order to create a moment in time in using one breath between the two.
From my seat, the moment appeared extremely sensual, erotic and sexy. Intimacy coaches are sometimes used in theatre presentations to ensure the actors feel comfortable with each other in what they are about to undertake if this is part of a directorial vision. I wonder if such coaches are needed for dance and movement pieces.
If someone asked me to explain what I saw opening night, I’m reminded at first glance it’s part Cirque du Soleil, part Freakish clown and part bizarre Stephen King. There might not be a story presented in the excerpt, but I was just fascinated to watch what the outcome would be. For example, a female performer contorts the muscles and skin in her face on camera to produce rather grotesque looks that are amusing and still outlandishly ludicrous. But what worked so well was the fact the woman stops doing this, smiles, and her beauty once again returns for us. This is what is so absorbing about ‘Radical Vitality’. The human body can take a lot in what we can do to it whether is all for pain or pleasure. Marie Chouinard shows just how the body can recover from contortions and grotesqueness to produce a beauty that will always shine through.
FINAL COMMENTS: “Radical Vitality, Solos and Duets is an in your face, eyebrow raising, sometimes humbling performance of performers who push the boundaries and limits in comfort levels to get audiences to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the human person.”
Worth the price of admission.
Running Time: approximately one and a half hours with no interval and an approximately 3-minute break halfway through the performance.
Photo of Dancers Catherine Dagenais-Savard and Sacha Ouellette-Deguire by Sylvie Ann Pare.
RADICAL VITALITY, SOLOS AND DUETS
Runs to February 8 in the Bluma Appel Theatre of The St. Lawrence Centre, 27 Front Street East. For tickets, visit either www.tolive.com, www.ticketmaster.ca or call 1-416-366-1656.
Performers: Michael Baboolal, Adrian W. S. Batt, Jossua Collin Dufour, Valeria Galluccio, Motrya Kozbur, Luigi Luna, Sayer Mansfield, Carol Prieur, Celeste Robbins, Clementine Schindler.
Choreographer: Marie Chouinard; Composer: Louis Dufort; Technical Director and Stage Manager: Elsa Posnic; Sound Engineer: Pierre-Alexandre Poirier-Guay; Lighting Manager: Chantal Labonte.