A Feast of Gothic Drama
Review of 'Fragments of Poe' by Dora Frankel Ensemble
Two figures draped in linen kimonos balance precariously on spindle-legged chairs, set diagonally in the dim space. With constant tension, heightened by the silence, vertical becomes horizontal with a butoh-like pace. Their postures filled with unease, they rotate slowly, and reveal expressions of morbid anticipation…
Fragments of Poe is an unsettling and engaging evening of visceral dance, music, and film. Performed by a pair of technically brilliant and incredibly expressive dancers, the macabre tales of Edgar Allan Poe are reframed for a contemporary audience through darkly engrossing movement. Even without a deep knowledge of Poe’s stories, the essence of gothic horror imbues every moment, from subtle quivers and convulsions to full-bodied swoops and lurches.
Image by Luke Waddington.
The dancers, Giacomo Pini and Livia Massarelli hold an impressive amount of tension both in their physicality and in their expressions, their eyes frequently scanning the audience and revealing a deep darkness within. Moments of manipulation, pressing, leaning, grasping, morph from repressive and overpowering to freer and wilder, shifting through the slightly restrictive space of Alphabetti Theatre. They appear to transform from human to inhuman, fluid and sensual to cold and reptilian. Their skill and presence never falters, although at times I wish they had a larger space to consume.
The format of the evening is episodic, featuring short ‘fragments’ of many stories with brief pauses between. Roma Yagnik’s compelling score provides an overarching atmosphere of unease, with resounding strings, distorted electronic noise, and the piercing screams of a violin. The dance is relentless, with images of greed, climate collapse, sexuality, fear. In the hot, dark space the whole show builds to a foreboding end, the performers giving us a final, searching look.
Dora Frankel’s choreography is meticulous, every glance and gesture communicating an intention, with a satisfying balance between repetitions and ephemerality. We have almost enough time to understand what we are seeing before it changes, with an excellent sense of pacing that keeps us always on the edge of our seat. Fragments of Poe is an enticing and entertaining evening of unconventional, highly crafted performance, which brings Poe into the 21st Century with skill and flair.
Image by Luke Waddington.
Fragments of Poe was performed on 27th July 2024 at Alphabetti Theatre, as part of the Newcastle Fringe Festival.
I loved your review of this performance Pagan. I thought it to be an excellent piece of writing which highlighted your engagement with the performance. From the first vivid description of the performers you set the scene of what was to follow. Throughout your review, you brought perceptive comments about the piece to your writing. I must go to see the show if I get the chance. As a side note, I actually wrote lyrics for a song based on Edgar A. Poe. Dave S.