Dancing on an island

Desert Island Dances is the latest production to be added to the 2009 Sydney Festival line-up. It’s a mysteriously funny and insightful production investigating the notions of absence and presence.

It’s not so much an -˜about kind of thing’ show although there is a strong theme of expectation running through the piece, said creator and acclaimed UK entertainer Wendy Houstoun.

It’s a piece where movement, anecdote and imagination all have equal play and it shifts its tone constantly -” taking pleasure in quiet movement as well as audience-focussed chatting.

Inspired by the popular BBC Radio program Desert Island Discs, the show integrates dance and voice into a heartrending and witty exploration of the things that make us who we are.

The radio program has the idea that you are stranded on an island and what music would you take with you to get you through the experience.

I liked the idea of being on an island (since I live on one) and the constant theme of escape from the island is something a lot of people living in England relate to.

Mixing voice and movement is something Houstoun has done for some time. She said her main aims with this piece were to employ the imagination more, and make it playful.

I think especially in solo work, being able to address the audience directly as well as move into the more traditional internalised state that movement works from is really helpful in changing the relationship with the audience, she said.

It allows me to re-frame sections and also -” without giving too much away -” allows me to let the audience know I am observing them as well.

info: Desert Island Dances is at the Bosco Theater, Samsung Mobile Festival Garden, Hyde Park North, as part of the 2009 Sydney Festival on January 11, 13-“18 at 9.15pm, January 15 and 16 at 7pm. Tickets are $25. Bookings Sydney Festival on 1300 888 412 or www.sydneyfestival.org.au.
Desert Island Dances is at the Sydney Festival.