Construct

The holiday meanders on in a satisfactorily unplanned stylee. Yesterday evening we did the bridge climb, which was long and unstrenuous -- more a stroll than a climb -- but occasionally pretty fucking scary. Cameras -- like most other things -- are not permitted on the climb, so the only photographic evidence I have is the official stuff in hard copy, an example of which I shall post when I'm back at home with access to my scanner. On balance it was a worthwhile excursion -- the views are stunning, and the experience of being out on such a structure is pretty unique -- but not one I anticipate doing a second time.

Today I met up with various family members for the first time in many years, which was very nice indeed; and then this evening went off to the Playhouse in the Opera House to see Tanja Liedtke's Construct, which I missed when it premiered in London last year but is now showing as part of the Sydney Festival. Though a little uneven, it's a damn fine dance piece, tender and exciting and fun, and with a very distinctive character. Liedtke, whose appearance in DV8's Just For Show I lauded a while back, was a mesmerising performer and on this evidence also an excellent choreographer. Her death in a car accident last year (shortly after being made the Artistic Director of the Sydney Dance Company but before actually Artistically Directing anything) was a real tragedy for the world of exciting physical theatre. Dancing in this, her final work, must be an emotionally complicated business, but the performers (including the lovely Paul White, also mentioned back then) do a great job and the piece stands as a fitting memorial.

RIP Tanja. We wuz robbed.
Posted by matt at January 12, 2008 01:57 PM