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.
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 Chim chim, I do! Couple tie the knot in Mary Poppins-themed wedding
- 2 See inside 'stunning' flat overlooking Norwich Market
- 3 Family sue Wetherspoon after man falls to death in city pub
- 4 Military helicopters spotted flying over Norfolk
- 5 Are you the mystery Norwich builder Peter Crouch is searching for?
- 6 All-you-can-eat Chinese buffet at Riverside closes
- 7 Blanket ban: Standing room only for Simply Red fans
- 8 Train evacuated after hitting horse on Norwich to Diss line
- 9 Hidden 90-acre wildlife haven in city secured after £600k investment
- 10 Missing Taverham man found safe and well
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.