Review: Switch
Simon ParkinThe crackle of electricity was in the air as the dancers of ACE Music and Dance put in a supercharged performance on their return to the Playhouse, entracing a young audience.Simon Parkin
Norwich Playhouse
The crackle of electricity was in the air as the dancers of ACE Music and Dance put in a supercharged performance on their return to the Playhouse.
After winning friends with their last production Skin, this latest is a double bill, a collaborative work by ACE directors Gail and Ian Parmel with choreographers Douglas Thorpe and Andile Sotiya, was another exciting blend of technically impressive dance and cutting edge music and visuals.
You may also want to watch:
Set in a black and white space, the title piece saw it slowly transformed by seven dancers into an twitching, pulsating electrical circuit board. Static, white noise and disembodied voices, accompanied powerful dance that sparked with sheer physicality, without being too literal.
A large part of the work of ACE is educational, and prior to this performance they'd been involved with four Norfolk schools, so it was pleasing to see so many under-16s in the audience.
Most Read
- 1 Mayhem at some petrol pumps - but how are other city garages faring?
- 2 Monster rats 'the size of cats' invade city - and get in via the LOO
- 3 SOLD! Royal Arcade goes for £2m MORE than guide price
- 4 New café serves a hundred customers in two hours on opening day
- 5 'Untouchable': People tell how Norwich killer left them in fear of their safety
- 6 This is where you can park for free in Norwich
- 7 WATCH: Bus and cyclist skip red light in city
- 8 The Bill star reveals he has moved to Norfolk and why he loves it
- 9 Mayhem across city as drivers race to the petrol pumps
- 10 Six new cafes and shops coming to Norwich
The second piece, Listen, choreographed by Douglas Thorpe, was an unsettling portrayal of the effects of modern day war, with impressive fast and precise phrases and movement. Morphing from African rituals and rhythms to the shock and awe post-traumatic stress and flashbacks, it was powerful stuff.
Contemporary dance is sometimes accused of being difficult. Here ACE balanced genuinely cutting edge performance with an open inclusive style. And the fact that dozens of children sat in rapt silence spoke volumes.
