Cross Arts and Movement Program, Melbourne Fringe Festival 1994
Writer: Kate Herbert around 16 September 1994
This review was published in the Melbourne Times after 16 September 1994
Hybrid Arts, Cross Arts. Whatever you call these multi-art works, Fringe artists are notorious for slinging several art forms into the one scruffy package. You can lump dance, sculpture, cyber-machines, computer graphics, text, music, noise, dirt and costumes into an hour-long phantasmagoria. It might be spectacular. It could really suck.
I reckon the press releases tell you plenty about who's an artsy wanker and who's a real artist so here are a few excerpts.
Circus Soup calls itself "an action-packed night of music and marvels...with groove engineers and circus performers." I'm inclined to believe this one because it has Sam Angelico, a class mime and magic act, Matthew Hughes from Circus Oz who is hot, and Oxo Cubans who are a groovy band with a singer who has a haircut like a muffin. ($16 & $12)
Serious contemporary dance fiends should get along to Danceworks is back with a revamped Physical Business from '93 ($10 & $15). I don't know the dancers but you could try at the Women's Gallery for three solo female dance works or see the dance-doco The Road to Be-Bop which asks you to bring beret, dark glasses and a Beat attitude.
The Dancehouse program takes us back into hybrid arts with a program comprising dance, videos, performances, discussions and a visual art exhibition as a bonus. Mary Madigan wins prizes for best title: Read my Hips ($8) which has "drawings, movement and social change" and a very esoteric press release.
Students from Change studio in None of the Above are demonstrating dance and other "Afro-techno synchronised fire club swinging" stuff. Seriously! I'm quoting! ($9.50 & $7.50) Take a fire extinguisher.
The Newry Pub's Frenzy says "Enjoy a quiet drink" with your poetry, art and music. It's free!! Ghost in the Machine cites the use of movement and "interactive computer environments". You can get close to virtual reality with this show if you're having trouble with actual reality - which most of Fitzroy and St. Kilda do.
Look out for Leather Butoh , a cyber-inspired performance art group." Yikes! Suzuki stompin', machine grindin', computer groovin' cyber artists in black leather!! Don't you get scared when they're so seriously groovy? And when they use the word "installation" instead of "exhibition"?
Butoh features again in Butchyaketa's Crack. ($13 & $9). We seem to have a plethora of artists who crave dark Japanese angst-ridden movement in our middle-class Western environment. More praise to 'em.
But my pick for a big old hoot, is Dance of the Desert which boasts belly dancers with a band at a Turkish restaurant. Now that sounds like exotic fun for a gaggle of your friends.
Kate Herbert
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