The Chronicles

Stephanie Lake Company

Adelaide Festival

Dunstan Playhouse

12 March

****

This enthralling production from Melbourne’s Stephanie Lake Company presents the life cycle, from embryo to a coffin descending at life’s end.

With brilliant choreography by Lake and very effective lighting, the twelve dancers exercised great skill and delivered a dance well worth seeing.

Just what the various segments represented is open to interpretation, the dance was the star here, as it should be.

In presenting this, clever use was made of the twenty odd strong Young Adelaide Voices and some were very young! They provided a contrast to the fabulous dancing. Located initially on an elevated platform to the rear of the stage, they descended to the stage proper, surrounding them and  criss-crossing with the dancers, very effective. They were followed by the baritone of Oliver Mann, whose wordless vocal morphed into the final song, “Forever Young”.

All this to an electronic soundtrack, a bit repetitive but effective in complimenting the dance. Likewise, effective was the use of copious volumes of what appeared to be shredded paper, delivered by the dancers in bales and poured all over the stage. Despite the apparent effect this must have had on the stage surface, the dancers managed to excel. Just what this signified was not apparent to this reviewer, but this is of no matter. As a visual spectacle it was perfect!

Throughout, what clearly stood out was the great dancing and Stephanie Lake’s imaginative choreography, as it should be. This was a performance of the highest calibre.

A very impressive production, confirming that this country has world class artists who should be celebrated.