Review: GÖTEBORGSOPERANS DANSKOMPANI, Sadler's Wells

GöteborgsOperans Danskompani present their double bill at Sadler's Wells 11-13 May, featuring Skid (2017) by Damien Jalet and SAABA (2021) by Sharon Eyal.

Skid opens the programme and takes place on a platform at a 34° angle (referencing "earth's gravitational acceleration measurement of 9.8 metres per second") for the whole duration of the piece - hence the 45 minute interval between performances.

I'm guessing it was concept then content creatively - otherwise, there seems little point in the reangled world. The two combined offer an original work that's its own worst enemy with regard to limitation. You could relate the Skid experience to that of an aquarium; endlessly hypnotising - but at a certain point you realise it's going nowhere so move on. The piece places the dancers in permanent states: (free) falling, climbing or trying to do neither. The 34° allows them to rediscover their axes and associated equilibrium, but it also hinders the movement capabilities and scope. Jalet creates using very clear sections, with the opening seeing the cast tumble down the platform in uber-slow motion.

The overall scene, largely due to Christian Fennesz's grandiose music and Joakim Brink's sparse lighting design feels like a journey through outer space. Simultaneously epic and non-committal: AKA an aquarium. The second section is a dystopian, military (with Fennesz's rhythmical help) trooping of the colours. The cast works in patterns using unison, canon and all the available iterations. But there's definitely something awkward about watching people run uphill; even super fit, agile beings. It's effort-heavy and success-light. The third sees duos and trios attempt content development despite concept limitations - but it doesn't really happen beyond the odd fan kick. And then the closing scene: never easy.

Earlier on a dancer suddenly appeared wearing a beige jumper (on top of the group activewear attire) which didn't make sense at the time. Long story short: it's massively elasticated and becomes a form of cocoon for the dancer to transform into an alien being/embryo suspended in the centre of the platform. It happens and then all the clothes come off, said being frees itself from the sac, and proceeds to slowly climb up the platform till it drops off the top edge to close the piece. Due to the nudity there was quite a lot of clenching during the aforementioned climb. Eek. In Eyal's SAABA we find the cast within a black box setting, in barely there lace catsuits by Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri. Eyal's work is known to be both distinct and divisive. I haven't seen masses live - but I did see a little something in a car park in Peckham which was somewhat memorable. The choreography, but also the dancers of Eyal's own company L-E-V (based in Israel). However, it's safe to say that Eyal's language travels well, as it's less about who or where, and more concerned with how. SAABA as a work is a continuum, with nothing starting or finishing in an obvious way...things just seemingly segue on planet Eyal. And that's what it feels like: an alien place where everyone speaks the same dialect. One of individuality, conviction and sass. And as the kids of today would say, there was a whole lot of "serving" going on, helped no end by Ori Lichtik's atmospheric and pumping music composition. Eyal uses pedestrian movement and takes it to the extreme, or rather lets the dancers do so.

I was amazed at the range of physical interpretations of the same choreography; confirming the space her creations clearly allow for - celebrating the individual, as in no overbearing definitions or boxes to tick. Consequently one reads embodiment in many different forms: catatonic, terrified, org*smic, femme. Eyal tends to favour unison, so for the majority of the piece, the cast werk the space like a mass of DNA. We see individuals break and rejoin, but subtle movement is at the forefront: small, understated steps full of tension and manner, before it all becomes too much and the need for extreme release is realised. I don't know that I need to move to planet Eyal full-time, but Gothenburg perhaps. The company had a record 1230 hopeful auditionees this year - and seeing the troupe perform live one understands why. It was a total trip and a half: a happening even.

Photo credit: Tilo Stengel

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