The Falling Song | Dublin Dance Festival

Star Rating: 3/5

The Falling Song - Dublin Dance Festival

Junk Ensemble's The Falling Song sets expectations high before it even begins. On arrival, the audience is greeted by two large tree like structures under which mattresses are piled, immediately building anticipation for some high flying or rather high falling acrobatics and performance. What occurs however, is not quite so clearcut and moves between themes and ideas that are a little baffling.

The strength of the show lies in the physical prowess of the four dancers. The all-male performers really do attack the space with reckless abandon, and the physicality and finesse in their movements are hypnotizing. They show no fear in plummeting from 12 feet face first into the crash pads or throwing themselves into each others embrace, and are strongest when they work in unison. Tight choreography, both in movement and manner, really affect, and the addition of the live music and children's choir infuses the piece with sparks of vibrancy and chilling tones.

Touches of homoeroticism abound, and the most empathetic moments come when all these things combine. However, these occur all too little, and it's disappointing that the performance seems to tiptoe up to that line of examining the tragic beauty and pathos of love, but then leaps quite literally away from it to examine something else that pales in comparison to what could have been.

REVIEW BY: David O'Shaughnessy

Story by EI Team | 09:00 | Thursday 24th May 2012 | Theatre

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