Guest Review - Rebecca watches 'Limelight & Lunacy'

We have had a guest review in from one of the audience members, Rebecca Brett-Harris. Thanks for taking the time Rebecca!

"Mary Lou provided an entertaining insight into the underlying themes of the well known fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood and into the social complications faced in the late 1900s.
Better Red than Dead explored the Character of Red Riding Hood through contemporary dance, physical theatre and ballet, transforming her from a scared child into a wolf murdering vixen. Set against the back drop of atmospheric and jovial music, the audience could not help but watch Red’s near fatal encounter with the hungry wolf. The flawless mixture of contemporary and balletic moves allowed the characters to reveal their darker animal emotions as the power shifted between them as effortlessly as their balances and bodily entwining.  

It was the Wolf’s character that perturbed, yet entertained me the most. From his strong powerful balletic technique to the animalistic motifs incorporated into his movements, the comedic singing to the now dead Grandmother as she was being digested; all were tinted with a macabre side of the beast who hunts his prey. The playful wolf had a sinister side and echoes of vampirism as he toyed with eating Red during an earlier meeting.
The balance of humor and tension matched the themes of this fairy tale as the audience willed Red’s success but couldn’t help buying in to the Wolf’s more gentlemanly and charming side. 

Limelight and Lunacy- the second half to this performance offered a mix of cabaret, dance and theatre as the 4 characters explored and discovered the true side to their existence. Another fitting musical score accentuated the themes and relationships between these characters as they explored their darker and natural human desires.  

Unlike Better Red than Dead, the narrative became the main focal point of this piece as we witnessed the characters demise into madness which at times overshadowed the choreography. The use of props and set were incorporated seamlessly into the piece to provide interesting levels, power shifts and areas of concealment for more madness to appear from. The beauty of this piece was its chaos which was mirrored through the piece in various ways but all tying together to show the suppression and sometimes oppression of living in that time. 

Both pieces were a joy to watch, although some things were lost on the younger members of the audience, they still allowed the chance to view a fine piece of physical dance performed by a highly skilled and talented cast- let’s hope there are more fine things to come in the future."

[Original review post here.]