OUPS

This was just before Christmas 2011 ... here's what I thought for Sydney Arts Guide
 http://www.sydneyartsguide.com/View-Review.asp?ReviewID=917
For one night only we were privileged to be treated to some fabulous French talent.

The first half was a terrific performance of French songs by Mdme Amandine Petit, conductor of the Sydney French choir, with pianist Elodie Sablier. They have formed a duo called 'Ooh La La ! ', exploring the classical lounge repertoire for voice and piano - look out for it.

Petit, very elegant in a grey dress performed a set of French songs including some Piaf classics (' La Vie En Rose ',' Milord' etc).The set was the sofa for OUPS , a microphone and a birdcage. Petit's lovely voice is somewhat lighter, purer , less smoky than Piaf's and ranges from the lighter, sardonic in tone to the ( in Piaf mode) the rather darker and eerie 'Milord' and the final ' Padam ' which was rather eerie, ominous and waltz like.

Non Piaf songs included 'Autumn Leaves ' and 'Tel qu'il est'. Petit has an incredible range and versatility and in a couple of the songs sang both the French and an English translation .The audience was riveted and enthralled .Wow!

With just a tiny pause we were straight into OUPS, a short contemporary dance piece by Berengere Fournier and Samuel Faccioli. It uses poetry in movement and humour to explore the early stages of a couple's growing relationship, sustaining the drama with precise and energetic movements to create a captivating visually entrancing depiction of their journey. From rather sweet touches to hot and steamy unbridled passion, the performance is inspired by ordinary, everyday gestures but transforming them into an alternative visual sign language.

The pas de deux plays around with the idea of contrast and whether they are sombre or playful there are satirical undertones. Precision , trust and accuracy as well as split second timing are the foundations of this duet as well as humour, sensitivity and acrobatics.

Some of it is almost death defying. Fournier wears a black dress, possibly 1940's ish, yet 'timeless' in style. Faccioli is in white shirt, black trousers and natty waistcoat.

The set is very simple - just a small double-seater sofa and a pair of large boots. You can see the influence of Phillipe Genty (and Decoufle) and also Pina Bausch, Meryl Tankard  and possibly Nijinska's 'Les Noces' .There are at times some marvelous use of percussive almost Flamenco like feet rhythms.

Some of the extraordinary choreography is extremely hot, sexy and wild yet simultaneously incredibly controlled .There are some extraordinary lifts , frozen 'caught' tableaux and some most unusual partnering and balances. The sofa is almost a third person in the work as it is sat upon, hidden behind, flipped etc.

Repetition and echoing of repeated phrases of movement is sometimes used, combined with some wonderful very complicated rhythmic portes des bras sequences. Even a single finger is very important (eg used for supported turns).

An astonishing performance and I am most anxious to see more - looking forward to their planned show at the Opera House in 2012.

OUPS ran for an hour without interval at the Tom Mann theatre for one night only on Friday 23rd December, 2011.

© Lynne Lancaster

24th December, 2011