Dancing With Death
Step onto the State Theatre stage for an up-close experience that's out of this world. In Dancing with Death, award-winning Thai choreographer Pichet Klunchun leads you into a space between life and death, where the material and immaterial meet, and where body and spirit exist in a state of kinetic freedom.
When Klunchun first visited the Phi Ta Khon ghost festival, he found a place where the living and the dead mingled and death was not to be feared but celebrated. Through vibrant and colourful costumes and masks – and dance that is free, fluid and organic – fertility and mortality were woven together to joyfully honour both.
Inspired, Klunchun went on to invent a new physical language marrying the improvisational and intuitive nature of folk expression with his contemporary choreographic system based on classical Thai dance.
Fast-rising fashion designer Piyaporn Bhongse-tong (Flynow) provides stunning costumes, while Japanese collaborators Asako Miura and Hiroshi Iguchi create light and sonic landscapes, with music sampled from field recordings of the Phi Ta Khon itself.
“When the dancers come together they exert a palpable force, the force of common humanity.”
– RealTime Arts
*** Please note: Full Price listed is for a double pass. You may take up a single ticcket.
Feedback/Comments
Loved the visuals but got lost about halfway through.
wow
great
A bit depressing
Not my kind of production
Very different! A wonderful exploration and dance meditation on the journey between life and death.
Very creative performance but long and left us a bit depressed.
Meditative.
A great performance based on the concept of reincarnation and its journeys
Actual performance did not match the marketing of this show. Struggled to enjoy.
I agree with the other lady. You need to open your heart and soul to really feel what this was about, It was not meant to be fast paced entertainment
interesting ... unusual. I wonder why people won't open their hearts and feel, why everyone needs action and entertainment to consider something to be of good quality
Unusually for me, it was helpful to look at other reviewer's comments before posting mine.
I think this performance was both worthy art in its visual delivery and in the thought that it provoked - and on any level that makes it a successful night - the unusual range of response to it by reviewers I think supports this view.
I think that the problem (if one can say that) for the production lies with both it and the expectations of those in its audience who were in some way disappointed.
The production is, I think, not helped by its publicity as death dance with movement and colour (from which it admits its conception). While it does have some of that, it is primarily subtle and sometimes almost minimalist performance art rather than 'dance'. As such it concentrates on giving its audience thought through subtle expression rather than 'dance' led entertainment and lively musical score.
Some members of the audience, in their disappointment at its difference to their expectations, then missed (were unprepared) for the core meaning of what it was about - the journey of spirit through limbo to rebirth. Perhaps some of the audience would have fared better to research the performance before attending, but perhaps also the production would do better in better culturally preparing the audience who come to see it.
Not sure what I was expecting but my only positive comment would be that I did appreciate the casts energy.
Unusual.
Started with a really irritating high pitched noise that required fingers in ears for about 15 mins - matched with really slow movements for the whole time. Then lots of repetative movements that were only slightly faster. I understand what they were trying to do - but they didn't need close to 1.5 hours to do it - half an hour would have sufficed. The brightly coloured spirits were the only bright part of the show.
You need to be in right mood to digest the show.
Very slow.
This performance was very slow to start but improved as it went on.
The bright coloured promo photo raised my expectations.... Too high it seems! It seemed to start with the finale, then slowly go on and on to wind down to a conclusion where the audience that remained were left wondering why the last dancer was still on stage after the house lights came up! Not on par with the other AsiaTOPA performances I've seen.
amateur
confusing
boring
nearly walked out
It was utter garbage. The only thing dancing with death was my brain, eyes and ears. The seating was a mat on the ground. There was no music, just a repeating noise that drove me to put my fingers in my ears. As for dancing, what dancing. It was torture. If you think this is just my opinion, you should talk to the many people who got up and walked out during it. There was no intermission, if there was most of the people wouldn't have come back. I so regret going, I want the part of me that died inside back!
It was very boring and very slow pace performance. My friend and I did not enjoy the event.
The irritating 'music' sounded like a broken record gone wrong. Lots of the 'dancing' was running and even though the dancers had lots of energy and flexibility they were not in unison with each other. Much more could have been done with lights, costume, music and choreography to tell the story. Many people left before the show finished. I would not recommend this show to others. It was way too drawn out.
An interesting creative performance however a little slow moving but enjoyable and imaginative
Too alternative and weird for me. I wanted to see dancing...not slow motion movement and running around in circles!
I don't know what I expected to see, but certainly not what I saw. The performance was different, it was strange but beautiful. Lots of energy put into it.
A little bit on the weird side
A creative work depicting the passing from this world. Lots of energy and beautiful imagery created with lights and costumes.
Unfortunately it was too slow at the beginning, and I didn't connect with the story line :(
I had a great night