Review by Marina Funcasta
Lit with four LED lamps, the Main Hall at Summerhall is almost unrecognisable: smoke wafts from beneath the seats, Suburban Knight’s album, Nocturbulous Behaviour, blasting in the audience’s ears. And in the corner of the stage, there are three hidden bodies which bounce in unison: forming a pyramid, these dancers float to the pounding beat, like Sims, or even Gladiators.
To be sure, Oli Mathiesen, Lucy Lynch and Sharvon Mortimer are ready for battle: in a series of interminable sequences, our dancers relentlessly move as if their lives depended on it. It is this quality which made the entire show almost transcendent: watching their bodies glimmer with sweat, even give-up at points due to the exhaustion, their glowing serotonin-filled smiles emerged as an almost spiritual sublime. A joie de vivre.
These moments made me, quite simply, want to join them. And this impression seemed widespread: prompting cheers from the audience, the dark, disembodied voices blended with Suburban Knight’s music, creating an ellipsis of queer joy. A performance like no other, the butterflies who flew into the rave were delicate but powerful in their presence, creating a space of inclusivity and freedom.
A Performance Like No Other
The Butterfly Wo Flew Into The Rave runs at Summerhall – Main Hall
Running time: Sixty minutes without interval
Review by Marina Funcasta (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Marina is halfway through an English literature degree at Edinburgh University, wherein she has been (considerably) involved in the drama scene: enjoying performing with their Shakespeare Company shows, but also modern takes on Arthur Miller. However, Marina’s interests are wide-ranging under the theatre genre – enjoying abstract, more contemporary takes on shows (with a keen interest in Summerhall)
