Our Reviewer Ged Finnigan enjoyed his first visit to Aviva Studios
What a bright and welcoming space it is. An excellent addition to Manchesters cultural scene.
Wednesday saw the world premier of Figures In Extinction. A performance in three acts.
The First Act dealt with those creatures that have gone extinct. Listed off one by one and portrayed beautifully by the troop.
Highlights for me were the ibex with its majestic horns dwarfing the dancer.
The warbler. As a birdwatcher I could appreciate the nervous flitting nature of the performance, capturing the essence of the bird.
The collective coming together to become a melting glacier was superbly choreography choreographed.
The climate change denier brought some nervous laughter from thr audience.
The animation of the cheetah skeleton realistically performed also.
Act Two started with the cast doom scrolling.
The theme seemed to be the evolution of the modern brain against modern distractions.
The collective dancing and synchronicity was a pleasure to watch.
Act Three dealt with the relationship between dead and the living. For me, the jazz number performed whist the various stages of human decomposition were reeled off, was macabrely beautiful.
The three acts were performed with light, beauty, energy and grace. Even if the subject was a dark one.
Hats off to the dancers and the choreographers for an entertaining and thought provoking evening.
The majority of the audience were most appreciative, judging by the ovations at the end.
