dance/physical theatre review

Barbe Bleue

Theatre Temoin

This adeptly formed piece of physical theatre is a whimsical interpretation of the story of the murderous Bluebeard and his ill-fated wives. Louise, an insomniac artist, finds it hard to resist the allure of the ghosts in her wardrobe, which distract her as she frantically searches for the right colour to paint with. The use of puppets is ingenious; the extraordinary cloth characters take on an eerie life of their own and I felt myself recoil under Bluebeard's malignant glassy gaze. He and his wives pull Louise in two different directions, driving her to distraction. Unable to escape the bizarre world she finds herself in, she dances between reality and fantasy, leaving her all the more vulnerable to their persistent haunting.
Upstairs at the Three and Ten, 14 - 16 May, 6.30pm (7.30pm) £9.50 (£7.50) fpp28.

tw rating: 3/5

published: May-2010

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