Daryl Brandwood, Benjamin Chapman, Michelle Barnett, Elise May and Cloudia Elder; Photo by Chris Herzfeld.
7 Deadly Sins is a decadent foray into a bacchanalian underworld where the dancers — each representing one of the seven Biblical sins — are the vanguards. We see them prowl and manipulate their territories. We witness the way they mingle and interact with each other and with Man, danced by guest artist Thomas Gundry Greenfield. While the subject matter has the potential to be weighty and philosophical, this particular work is more playful than cerebral — and that’s perfectly fine.
The show begins with Man sitting idly at a TV in the mundane human world, represented by a rectangular cell against a grey and spartan set. In that twilight zone between wakefulness and sleep, he is lured into the underworld by Sloth, represented by a sly and snake-like Cloudia Elder.
The premise of 7 Deadly Sins is reminiscent of an Ancient Greek tragedy, an aesthetic that’s echoed in the costumes, props, and parts of the accompanying soundscape. In sharp contrast to the austere human world, the underworld occupied by the sins is animated, messy, and tending towards sensory excess. The costumes and sets are minimalist but striking, allowing the dancers’ lines, shapes and formations to take centre stage.
Fans of Natalie Weir’s distinct choreographic style — with fluid movements and clever partnering techniques — will find much for their eyes to feast on. Interspersed among these liquid-like scenes there are also moments of frenetic energy conveyed by jerkier movements and an industrial grunge aural backdrop. The performances from each of the ensemble members are faultless; as each scene and image unfolds in their physicality we sometimes forget the artifice that they are dancers. That said, they are dancers and the feats of acrobatics sneak in before we realise it are impressive. Memorable performances come from Daryl Brandwood dancing as Greed, equally unencumbered by gravity and moderation, and Elise May, a regal goddess of Lust.
The show peaks and climaxes in the scenes where all of the dancers are on stage dancing in synchronicity if not unison, appearing like a fleet of possessed demons despite this being an ensemble of seven. These moments are delightfully unsettling, but make me wonder if this work could be taken to the next level by somehow instilling shock and genuine terror in the audience. Similarly, greater emotional connection with the audience could perhaps be forged if there was a clearer narrative to the work. Of course, these speculations might be analogous to wondering whether one should gild the lily, as on opening night the performance was met with an enthusiastic standing ovation.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Choreographed by Natalie Weir
Dancers: Thomas Gundry Greenfield (guest), Cloudia Elder, Daryl Brandwood, Jack Ziesing, Elise May, Rebecca Hall, Benjamin Chapman, Michelle Barnett
Playhouse, QPAC
