Review: DELIRANZA at Grand Théâtre

This week we had the pleasure of attending Patricia Guerrero's Deliranza, an ambitious dance production with an innovative take on flamenco, built on a combination of the classic Spanish art style and a surreal narrative tone. Dream-like concepts have become a recurrent theme in theatric and musical performances in recent years - perhaps a bit too recurrent, some would argue - yet this was one of the first times we saw it applied to flamenco and could hardly have expected a better outcome. Patricia Guerrero was the lead performer, as well as artistic director and choreographer, and was joined on stage by seven fellow dancers and musicians. Musical direction fell to flamenco guitar player Dani de Morón.

The gold: The conduction. As talented as everyone was and as impressive as the overall show turned out to be, Guerrero was the central piece around who the production gravitated. She was almost constantly on stage, delivering over one hour of content. Her intent was not only to delight you with her choreography, but also to set the pace for everyone else around her. Still, her front stage presence and unquestionable role as conductor did not make you feel like it was all about her. Instead, it was like looking at the guiding star of a much bigger constellation. For all her work and artistic generosity, we give her our gold.

The silver: The walking cane and hat numbers. The two group numbers that impressed the most. The first saw the dancers gracefully balance walking canes on their heads, before starting a choreography where the beat of this extra leg was instrumentally combined with both dance and music. The second was perhaps the most surrealist of all, featuring performers dressed in black, with large hats covering their faces. It was not only widely entertaining, but it helped to strengthen the overall tone of the show.

The bronze: The music. Given how superficial our knowledge of the flamenco music style is, it would be ill-advised to make an extensive reflection on it, but we cannot conclude this review without expressing our admiration for the musicians of the ensemble. Their work managed to mix the best and most recognizable aspects of this beloved style and the surreal tone of Guerrero's production. The guitar play was truly heartfelt and stood with its own voice, not simply as the support of a dance show.

Our thanks to the Grand Théâtre and everyone involved.

Image credit: Óscar Romero