3/03/2014 1:07 pm Review: Lucy Guerin Inc. – Structure and Sadness Page 1 of 3 http://www.trespassmag.com/review-lucy-guerin-inc-structure-and-sadness/ Trespass Team Advertise Writers Contact About Search... Search Interviews » Film » Featured » Reviews Themes » Events & Festivals » Trailers RSS Feed Review: Lucy Guerin Inc. – Structure and Sadness By Grace Edwards – November 29, 2009Posted in: Arts Lucy Guerin rediscovers a world on the brink of destruction in her acclaimed contemporary dance work, Structure and Sadness. Utilising the language of support, suspension, torsion and fall, the piece explores themes of shock and grief central to the tragic West Gate Bridge collapse in 1970, which killed 35 workers. Despite the sensitive subject matter, Structure and Sadness proved a work of rare beauty, presenting piercing insights with calculated subtlety. First performed as part of the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival, Structure and Sadness was received warmly by critics and has since been toured internationally. It is not hard to see why. Find us on Facebook Trespass Magazine 1,453 people like Trespass Magazine. Like Like Giveaways Giveaway: Need for Speed We have 10 double passes to give away to Need for Speed. Giveaway: Tim Winton’s The Turning We have 5 DVD copies of Tim Winton’s The Turning to give away. Giveaway: Fly Me to the Moon
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3/03/2014 1:07 pmReview: Lucy Guerin Inc. – Structure and Sadness
Page 1 of 3http://www.trespassmag.com/review-lucy-guerin-inc-structure-and-sadness/
Review: Lucy Guerin Inc. – Structure andSadnessByGrace Edwards– November 29, 2009Posted in: Arts
Lucy Guerin rediscovers a world on the brink of destruction in her acclaimed contemporary dancework, Structure and Sadness. Utilising the language of support, suspension, torsion and fall, thepiece explores themes of shock and grief central to the tragic West Gate Bridge collapse in 1970,which killed 35 workers. Despite the sensitive subject matter, Structure and Sadness proved a workof rare beauty, presenting piercing insights with calculated subtlety.
First performed as part of the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival, Structure and Sadness wasreceived warmly by critics and has since been toured internationally. It is not hard to see why.
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3/03/2014 1:07 pmReview: Lucy Guerin Inc. – Structure and Sadness
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Together, the dancers successfullyilluminated the structural vulnerability of the world they have constructed onstage. At timesentwined in mutual dependence with large bands of elastic, at other times adjusting to buoy planks ofwood moving over their bodies. As living planks of steel, they tested gravity and flirted with disaster.Taking on the roles of workers, the dancers built a giant structure out of wood, held together only bythe laws of physics. By the time the structure was complete, the audience was fully aware that it hasbeen built to collapse.
Visual artist Michaela French’s motion graphics backdrop presented an electrifying metaphor for theshock of a catastrophe, alternately fragmenting and recollecting the image of the bridge. Sounddesigner Gerald Mair’s experimental score, on the other hand, isolated the groans and booms ofinfrastructure, which edged uncomfortably close to the sound of a human voice.
In a moving tribute to the workers who died on that fateful day, the final scene depicts the workers inabstract form, moving with quiet energy, twisting and joining in partnership to see their last projectthrough. The concluding moments, in which the workers lay peacefully still underneath the bridgewhilst the room faded to black was powerful, creating an image capable of etching itself in thememory for days.
Lucy Guerin Inc’s Structure and Sadness is an artfully constructed and sensitive study of fragilityand memory. For a valid and stirring artistic experience, one needs to look no further than this poeticoffering from one of the most successful contemporary dance companies in Australia.
Image credit: Jeff Busby
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About Grace Edwards
Grace Edwards is a Melbourne-based freelance writer with a background in both dance and music.Apart from studying musicology and history at the University of Melbourne, she spends her timetalking about dance, dreaming about dance, watching dance and, well, dancing. Originally hailingfrom New Zealand, she has a tendency to add ‘ey?’ to the end of her sentences when she speaks,which is often. In order to stop her friends tearing their hair out from her constant babbling, Gracehas carefully cultivated a number of other interests over the years. These include eating chocolate,playing the piano, singing, drinking coffee, and sleeping. Especially sleeping.
1 Comment
1. TimPosted December 1, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Completely agree. This was an exceptional work with many moving moments, even forsomeone like myself with little experience with contemporary dance. No wonder this hasreceived such fine reviews. Hope to see more of this company in the future.
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3/03/2014 1:07 pmReview: Lucy Guerin Inc. – Structure and Sadness
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