Out of the Shadow, hosted by the Oxford Playhouse this week, is something very unique. Yes, it is a dance production, and yet, it is more than that. A vivid theatricality and poignant story-line shines through, and so to write this production off as “not really my kind of thing” is to do it a disservice. The Austrian troupe, Nobulus, has performed all over the world, and displays a range of performance styles which are clear even to the untrained eye. This, observed by professional or layperson (I include myself in the latter), is an electrifying and visually stunning piece of dance theatre.
Out of the Shadow begins by cataloguing the evolution of man. The dancers are animals, fighting for survival, demonstrating the laws of nature, until out of their midst, man emerges. The production is occasionally narrated by a white clad (God?) figure, who pops and locks in exquisite sign language. However, I feel that his booming voiceover sometimes detracts from the subtleties of the performance.
Man takes centre stage – or in particular, one Man. He is a regular Joe, surrounded by other characters – a beautiful girl whom he attempts to woo, a friendly street-dancer who teaches him how to breakdance, an angry office manager who makes him slave hard at his job. Each of these roles is danced superbly by the cast, who also take on the appearance of inanimate objects, too many to list (although my particular favourite is a one-armed-bandit at a casino).
As the drama unfolds, the production takes on an air of tragedy. The Man becomes obsessed with money above all else. His greed turns to violence and the cast become oil rigs and machine guns. He begins to realise what his life has become, and that mankind is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over again.
Artistic director and choreographer, Alexander Wengler, clearly had a vision for this piece of dance theatre, and it is produced wonderfully by this immensely talented cast. The music choices for each vignette are superb, and fit precisely to the actions carried out.
I particularly enjoyed the vibrancy of the show this evening. Each of the cast members moves constantly on stage, and there is an intense feeling of camaraderie and support. There were empty seats in the Playhouse last night, and it would be a shame not to fill them for this evening’s performance, which is the last one before Nobulus tour across the UK. – @bookingaround
