Harlekin

Before you know it, Harlekin has begun. A medieval jester-like puppeteer guides you to your seat as gleefully as if you were on strings yourself. After an absence of three years, double Fringe First winners Derevo are back at the Festival, and as ever they are out to play with your expectations!
Only two of Anton Adasinsky’s St Petersburg butoh troupe have joined him this year, for a beautiful tale of a marionette’s unrequited love. But although you will be moved (and even a little frightened) by the ominous drama expressed through the jerky contortions of each of the excellent dancers, the prevailing spirit of the work is one of humour and warmth.
At times the show is really out-and-out mime work, simply but superbly executed. Non-aficionados of contemporary dance will be thoroughly entertained by the charming, childlike wooing attempted by our hero without knowing, or particularly caring about what is actually happening. But there is much more to this show than meets the eye.
This is a piece about the very nature of performance. It is stimulating, challenging and rewarding in equal measure, organically and energetically examining where performance begins and ends, the relationship between performer and audience and what it means to embark on the greatest performance of all: human life and the pursuit of love. Supremely intelligent, Harlekin is physical theatre at its very best.

5/5

Ian Armstrong