Choreographed by Natalie Weir - Musical Direction by
Tania Frazer
Costumes designed
by Gail Sorronda – Lighting Designed by Ben Hughes
Presented by Expressions Dance Company
The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre – June 21st
and 22nd.
Reviewed by Bill Stephens
Natalie Weir originally created this work for
Expressions Dance Company in 2015 under the title “The Host”. As she explains
in her program notes, one of the meanings for a “host” is “an animal or plant
on which parasites live”. Now reworked for the current EDC ensemble, under the
title “The Dinner Party” that description still perfectly describes the
activities depicted in this work.
 |
| Josephine Weise - Bernard Knauer - Jake McLarnon -Lizzie Vilmanis -Isabella Hood - Jag Popham |
All the action takes place during an elegant dinner
party lauded over by the host (Jake McLarnon), and his sophisticated wife and
hostess (Lizzie Vilmanis), both glamorously attired in black. The four guests
include the host’s friend and rival (Bernard Knauer), a young male wannabe (Jag
Popham), the host’s lover (Isabella Hood) and a young insecure party girl
(Josephine Weise).
During the course of the evening each competes for
attention. Relationships and rivalries are exposed in a series of fascinatingly
complex sequences. Weir’s lyrical
acrobatic choreography makes huge demands on her dancer’s, though you would
hardly guess that from the apparent ease with which each of the dancer’s
execute it. With the personality of each of the characters so clearly
delineated, the ebb and flow of the relationships becomes endlessly fascinating.
The dancing throughout is exquisite and assured, with each of the dancers
obviously relishing the opportunity to lose themselves in their distinctive characterizations.
 |
| Jake McLarnon - Lizzie Vilmanis |
Tall and elegant, Jake McLarnon dominates proceedings
as the host, manipulating his guests physically as well as psychologically.
Bernard Knauer is a formidable rival and the trio in which both attempt to seduce
the party girl is mesmerizing. Lizzie
Vilmanis oozes sophistication and elegance as the hostess, at first irritated
by the presence of the host’s lover, Isabella Hood, but in a later in a conciliatory
duet apparently accepting of the arrangement. Isabella Hood is captivating as the
flirtatious party girl clearly out of her depth, while Jag Popham makes a
strong impression as the young novice prepared to sacrifice his integrity to
climb the corporate ladder.
“The Dinner Party” remains another masterwork from
Natalie Weir and a perfect showcase for the prodigious talents of the current
company of Expressions Dance Company dancers. It’s a pity therefore that most
of the audience had no idea who they were watching. Apart from six large
individual portraits displayed in the foyer, in which the dancers were not
identified, there was no program material available. Regretably, there’s a
growing practice for companies to dispense with printed programs, relying on
audience members to download them off the internet. Does anybody?
This review first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 22nd June 2019.