See the best artistic use of hundreds of white plastic bags you’ve ever seen. Enter the zen-like pure white cloud space in Weave Movement Theatre’s ‘White Day Dream‘. The company is a complement of abled and ‘dis/abled’ physical theatre performers who have produced thought-provoking work since the 1990s.
You enter a space entirely coloured in white. White plastic bags are creatively repurposed all over the space. They become elegant drapery, strewn across props, along the floor, are tied in cascading knots at many levels. Panels hover above the stage itself in sections, creating makeshift ‘rooms’. It’s as if you’re viewing a spiritual ‘refugee camp’ of purifying arctic white. There is an otherworldly atmosphere. The space is set for an exploration of the power of the daydream and the surreal reality of daily life.
Making the ugly beautiful and mundane timeless is a key tenet of Japan’s butoh, a performance style the company explored in the creation of this concept show, under the expertise of practitioner Yumi Umimare. She began her study into the life of the daydream for people in wheelchairs, like her brother.
The plastic bags are totemic. A symbol of first world waste, practical design, and beauty all in one. The material qualities of these is abstractly explored: they become headdresses, balloons, attire, a bowl or a dish. Dreamlike vignettes of everyday relationships and actions is depicted through creative play. Swallowing a cup of cutlery was my highlight!
Ceremony and ritual are key features which show the links and disconnect in unconscious associations. This is a special world, where absurd things occur, where dance and free associative spoken word make the everyday seem strange. There’s also cheek, humour, disco dancing, and a two-iPhones solo by guest Tim Crafti. Emma Hawkins captivates with her performance presence and dance acrobatics. The diversity of body types and movement styles enhances this show with variety to engage the eye. The performers all utilise their own physical properties to render the tales human.
Experience the magic of butoh, a style famous for abstraction, the absurd and the taboo, told with cool grace by these movement specialists. Tales of the lives we, as ‘refugees in life’, float through. Leave language behind as you enter the dream.
– Sarah
Sarah W. is a dance-trained theatre lover with a flair for the bold, and non-traditional performance platforms. On-the-street or in the box seat, she is always looking for quality works that push the envelope!
‘White Day Dream’ runs 27 October – 6 November, 45 Downstairs, Thursday- Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 5pm (60 minutes). Auslan interpreted show is 6 Nov. Book tickets now.
The venue is wheelchair accessible.
