km my people rachele rapisardi rope girl 1000 Keith Morris{extravote 4} At many of the shows I've seen at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, the programmes aren't handed out till after the show has ended, and Gwyn Emberton's My People definitely benefits from having access to the programme notes beforehand. My People is inspired by a collection of stories from Wales's 'best-hated man', Caradoc Evans, and despite the very rich imagery of the stories Emberton uses, they depict such levels of pathos and cruelty, it can be hard to follow the specifics of each story: for example, the programme notes for 'Be This Her Memorial' tells us that 'Nanni sacrifices herself, for the respected Minister, Joshua Bryan Bevan, and is left to have her face eaten by rats.'

What we see are a succession of short stories of interactions, discussions and interactions among the characters, often as they descend into madness. Emberton's female dancers take a prominent role through his choreography as we see their inner worlds and growing madness while they are being persecuted by the men around them.

Emberton's choreography is startling and original, particularly through beautiful solos and duets, with compelling and passionate performances from his six dancers (including himself), drawing the audience in. My People has received a number of accolades and awards since its premiere in 2014, and it's easy to see why.

 

Photo copyright Keith Morris