Adelaide Festival. Australian Dance Theatre. Odeon Theatre. 11 Mar 2023
Words. So many words. So many words telling a story a century plus of being.
Co-Director/Choreographer Daniel Riley and Co-Director Rachael Maza, with writers Ursula Yovich and Amy Sole overloaded the plate of the creative storytelling challenge. This is not a fault per se. Far from it.
This work allows the subliminal truth of the land as a spirit, in the life story of Riley’s Great- Great-Uncle, Alec ‘Tracker’ Riley, to come through. Word and body in movement.
It is a tremendously difficult thing in performance effect. The effort is worthy. Here is a theme and moment in which words, while seemingly predominant as the vehicle of a work’s expression, need deeper subtext.
This is achieved by a trio of dancers melting in, around and through the performance space as the split role of nephew/Tracker plays out, performed by Ari Maza Long.
James Henry’s beguiling slide guitar based score and Jonathan Jones’ gentle, judiciously applied scrim bush scenes assist the work’s gentle, yet considered effect.
The story is in the fullest sense of the cliché, mind blowing.
History that has to be told.
In this one person, is a history of great gift, humanity and truth obliterated, until now.
David O’Brien
When: 10 to 18 Mar
Where: The Odeon
Bookings: adelaidefestival.com.au
