Gwyn Emberton Dance: My People
- Details
- Category: Edinburgh Fringe Reviews
- Published: Sunday, 30 August 2015 12:45
- Written by Chantal Guevara
{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.'
Disclaimer: half an hour before seeing PanicLab's RIOT, I'd heard the 
{extravote 5} At the end of Lost Dog's performances of Like Rabbits at The Place in London 
{extravote 5} One of the joys of the Edinburgh Fringe is getting the unexpected, which is certainly what Igor Urzelai's and Moreno Solinas's Idiot-Syncrasy delivers in spades (alongside a free shot of whisky). While repetition and minimalism are not for everyone, this show has rewards in store, and not just in liquid form.
{extravote 4} Zosia Jo's 'Herstory' is part spoken word, part dance: Zosia wanted to find a way to bring together her performance poetry and choreography, and the result is an engaging and endearing show which is accessible to all.
One thing we are used to in dance is the too-short runs which most shows have (unless it's a Matthew Bourne production), which typically leaves people with only one or maybe two chances to catch a show before it goes. And if you miss that chance to see it but really want to see it, what do you do?
Something different, for a change. Those of you who follow me on Twitter or are a Facebook friend will know that I've recently acquired a surfeit of blood clots, so I might as well write about them - seeing as I can't do much else while I wait to recover from them.
Ducks and water. Cats and milk. Tequila and lime. Chips and gravy. The Place and Mabel's. Yorkshire Dance and The Wardrobe. Beer and pretty much everything. Me and sofas. Some things just go together so naturally well. The same goes for the terms "dance artists" and "portfolio careers".