My VERY epic Sunday – Where Did It All Go Right? and Nico Muhly

Which I can reflect on, fondly, in an exhausted state the following morning. I was very, very tired after leaving the Speigeltent last night. Basically collapsed in a ball in Connolly Dart station, very happy, and feeling very enriched.

I was pure rushed off my feet yesterday; went to Exchange Words, the cinema (I know, during a theatre festival, what a sin…) and met with an editor to discuss a peice I’ll be writing for Oh, Fringe’s theatre quarter – but after this running around I decided to nip down to Pantibar to christen my Fringe experience with a dance show called ‘Where Did it All Go Right?’ by Ponydance. This was a pure random decision, I’d an hour to burn before meeting my lovely tall girl for Nico Muhly. These kind of decisions are all in the spirit of Fringe really – take chances with shows, just go to things – you might come out feeling all the better for it.

I sauntered into the venue, paid the 8 blips concession, it being the preview and all… and the following 45 minutes kept me on my absolute toes, and injected me with more energy than a box of blue Smarties could have in 1994.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that dance and movement theatre isn’t something I’m normally interested in, call me a philistine if you will. But Ponydance completely tore up my expectations. The peice explores dance in a really accessable, contemporary way. Its about dance as a display of gender and identity, as a mating ritual, a competition, and as something we are all a part of and we all know. When I had a chat with the company director, Leonie McDonagh, she pointed out to me that the show was somewhat site specific, or “site referential”. There’s also some audience participation, which means each show will be different, because some people will respond positively, others negatively, and some not at all.

She also pointed out to me that they had only a 2 week development time, which in a way surprised me, but at the same time definately provided reason for the energy and freshness that the show has. There is nothing stagnant about their performance.

I  have just realised that I didn’t note how funny it is. It’s laden with humour. It’s not entirely about dance, it’s clearly about the happiness dance gives, and the fun that can be had with it as a social expression. See, that’s important. I won’t say anymore, for fear of spoiling any part of this gem for anybody.

My one word of advice to anyone attending though, is to get in early, as if you’re stuck sitting in the middle of the audience, as I sadly was, you may end up missing some of the action that takes place down on the floor. So if you can, get in that first row. But if you aren’t brave enough to get right up there, you can perch atop the couches at the back row, and that should provide an equally good, but definately safer, view.

So after this show I pegged it up the IFSC for a show that I knew absolutely nothing about – a performance by Nico Muhly. I thought, by his picture in the Fringe Guide, that he was going to be some mournful singer-songwriter type. I was very wrong. This lad is actually a very important modern composer. Wrote the score for The Reader, worked with Bjork and Rufus Wainwright amongst others – it was his first show in Ireland last night and I certaintly felt very grateful to be there. His stage presence was charmingly casual. Now admittedly, a lot of the stuff wasn’t my bag – his music contains a lot of irregular rhythms that just don’t sit well with me. But at the same time, some of his peices were very haunting and melodious. His violist and trumpet….ist added a lovely effect to his stage presence, just the three of them and their instruments (Muhly plays grand piano and samples). It was ashort performance, only 75 minutes, but one thing that wrecked my head a little was the constant movement of the audience. They floated in and out of the tent as if nothing important was really happening. I got slightly outraged, you know – if you’re going to a gig or a show, sit down and watch it, don’t get up for a smoke in the middle, that’s clearly not sound at all.

Of my epic Sunday, my recommendation lies with Ponydance. It’s 8 quid concession, in Pantibar every night this week at 6, til 6:45 (though you’ll wish it was longer). Seriously, leg it down and catch it, you’ll be glad you did.

I’m going to THEATREClub’s Rough tonight, in Players. My review will be in Oh,Fringe tomorrow, we go live at midday from The Fringe Factory, formerly known as Cultivate (no we do not have any organic washing powder) – on Cow’s Lane.

sound buzz lads

til then

oh, s

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