Thursday, January 22, 2015

Review // Waiting Rooms in Heaven

Weekend of Jan 22-24, 2015.

Jared Tobias Herring

For those looking for something to do this weekend,
Look no further than “Waiting Rooms in Heaven,”
W&M Physical Theater's latest creation.

In this piece, Artistic Directors 
and Choreographers
Wojciech Mochniej & Melissa Monteros 
offer a sense of total theater
in their combination of live music, dance, spoken text and video projection.

Do something different, witness and support what YYC is producing!
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Where: University Theatre

Show times:

Thursday, Jan 22, 2015 @8pm
Friday, Jan 23, 2015 @8pm
Saturday, Jan 24, 2015 @8pm

Tickets: $15 Adult - $10 Students/Seniors


(FREE for UofC Students who show their ID).

Facebook Event
https://www.facebook.com/events/571507086314604/
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Entering the theater, you can expect to see roughly 27, pristine white chairs
populating the dance floor within a white square.
In the darkened upstage, black stairs lead to mysterious black door.
The set is truly a feast for your eyes. However,
the moment the house lights dim - initiating showtime
the stage becomes a living organism.

The darkness is filled with faint movements.
Dim lighting bathes the floor and its dancers in mosaic designs;
performers mold with the shadows, entering and exiting
like ghosts shifting in a misty graveyard.

The chairs act as the central prop for this piece; they are slid, shifted,
sat in, balanced on and thrown – causing a constant reconfiguration of the space.

The utilization of the props is both subtle and intentional.
Similar to how lungs take in and expel air automatically,
so too does the set design transform seamlessly, often by surprise.

I must admit that the rebel in me
finds something so satisfying in watching the clean, perfect chairs
being tossed carelessly into a pile.

Interestingly, Monteros shares in the choreographer's note:

                        We began this work inspired by a simple image: a huge
                        pile of chairs in a warehouse lot by our studio.
                        Wojciech told me, “that's the set for our new work.”

The choreography is exquisite and ambitious. Movement is dynamic, detailed
and awe inspiring in its fluidity – no effort is wasted in the transfer of energy.

Dancers skillfully command the stage with confidence,
showcasing delicious long lines, sophisticated partnering,
and emotional intensity.

There is a tenderness among the connections that, in combination
with the heaviness of mood, lead me to contemplation.

In short: I am reminded of my mortality; invited too, to reflect upon
the choices I have made in my life and the journey I currently embark on.

A delightful and inspiring performance for all ages to enjoy.


For more information, please visit: http://scpa.ucalgary.ca/events/pro-series