Episode opens with a remote control car travelling onto an empty stage. This sets the tone for an atmospheric and quirky piece, dreamlike in its incoherency. One person becomes someone else, the same thing happens in a different way, the ordinary and mundane (an armchair, a toilet, a mobile phone) are juxtaposed with the surreal, nonsensical and bizarre. There is a strong sense of psychosis, hinted at in the title, yet it's unsettling and disturbing, not offensive or upsetting.
The movement is, at times, gestural and visceral - spitting, kissing, convulsing. At other times it's circular, out of control and airy. Just like sleep, it's sometimes anguished, sometimes blissful. There is an urgent message that we can't understand. The reappearance of the remote control car, a clown rock band and a snorkel, provide a surprising sense of calm.
Enticing performances, special effects and eerie music draw you into this surreal world. Requardt and performers show us an original and disconcerting exploration of the mind. Coulrophobes should steer clear but others interested in alternative approaches to dance should keep an eye on the website for news of further performances in August 2011.
By Hetty Blades
