cRUSHed

created by Trace de Jaray, Noah Drew and Raymond Milne DJ DK


Director: Noah Drew
Lighting design: Don Armitage
Costume design: Julie Guenther
Sound design: DJ KJ
Stage Manager: Jasmine Reimer
Producer: Lisanna Sullivan

Venue:Firehall Arts Centre
Dates: February 26-March 1, 2003

Reviewer: Elizabeth Paterson

cRUSHed is a movement piece which has been compared to the highly successful The Overcoat. It is much more like the stylized short ballets of the 30s and 40s which observe relationships between characters.

The setting is a rave. The three nameless characters have brought to it their inadequacies and their dreams.

Each performer has time in the spotlight, at first dancing the character as seen by others, perhaps also as seen by the self, then later expressing inner longings - for romance, for strength, for love.

Gradually each individual becomes aware of the others and relationships are built, dissolved and reformed. From the first a hopeless triangle evolves. A, the romantic is attracted to B, who wants strength and persues C. C is strong but longs for real love and chases A. At first, each rejects the persuer, then later yields. When a couple forms the third player disappears into the shadows.

Every variation has moments when it seems dreams may come true. But being in another's dream is ultimately untenable, and the couple splits, one moving on to his or her own crush and impossible dream. Finally each dancer ends up in his own spotlight, alone and crushed.

The theme is confused by a pair of wings worn by one of the characters. They are ignored or unobserved for the first part of the piece. Then one character caresses her, and her wings which become objects of desire in themselves and all three fight over them. It was not clear what this was intended to mean or how it fits into the overall idea.

Each dancer has created a well-defined character with an individual palette of movement and touches of humour. Kudos to DJ KJ who devised the sound and kept the discs spinning and to Don Armitage for lights. "Loud music and flashing lights" warns the program. They are cleverly kept well in front of the audience. You will not be crushed by them.

WET Theatre is a performance collective from the Yukon with ideas and ambition. Congratulations to Firehall Arts Centre for bringing them to their Launch series.

© 2003, Elizabeth Paterson


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