A brilliant bit of theatre that will take your breath away
Presented by: No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability in collaboration with HOTA (Home of the Arts Gold Coast)
Reviewed on: 9 December, 2024
Paulo Castro is an award winning theatre director, Kayah Guenther is an award winning creative artist. Put the two of them together, shake and stir and what do you get – 55 minutes of contemporary dance-based theatre that is riveting to watch, emotionally challenging and visually captivating from the moment it starts. And it has about 40 words in it! (If that).
Guenther enters the space, a bearded, strong figure dressed all in white with a touch of red in the glasses he wears. He is present, clear in his intentions, from the moment he enters the space, and incredibly interesting to watch. Down syndrome can take all sorts of different forms, but the challenge of being strongly non-verbal can often stand in the way of communication. Not for this talented and gifted young man.
Guenther’s challenge is that he is more at ease telling a story through the use of his body and his imagination. It fills one with awe to watch this young man bring to life the challenges that go along with living a life that is considered odd by ‘normal’ people. What is normal? Well to me normal is whatever reality you find yourself in at a given point in time. How do you convey that this is the same for everyone on the planet, no matter how they present in a world governed by other people’s expectations of how you should present yourself in a day-to-day situation. You tell the story through music, physical engagement and a huge dose of courage.
The story is evident from the first note of the eclectic and provocative soundtrack. There is a lifeless body under a sheet that takes us on a journey that has to be experienced to understand how effective, and challenging, the story of a life is when told almost completely without words. How do you respond when you feel sidelined? Ignored? Left Behind?
Well if you are Kayah Guenther you work with Paulo Castro to find a way to raise a middle finger to the world and live every moment on your terms. This is a remarkable piece of contemporary dance/theatre told by a talented, courageous and very watchable actor who doesn’t waste a moment of the 55 minutes on stage letting you know that being left behind only makes you work harder. The focus and intelligent and humorous exploration of a life that has more than your average challenge to overcome is just awe inspiring. Three cheers for a life explored to its fullest potential that has now set a new benchmark to surpass. And you know what; there is a lot more fuel in this tank!
Paulo Castro and Kayah Guenther have collaborated to present a bit of theatre that will take your breath away. It’s a short season; get there if you can, you won’t regret a minute of it, it’s wonderful.
Reviewed by Adrian Barnes
Venue: Slingsby’s Hall of Possibility – Rear Hall, 96 Glen Osmond Road, Parkside
Season:
8th December 8pm
10th December 6pm & 8pm
11th December 6pm & 8pm
Duration: 55 minutes (approx.)
Tickets: Full price $35.00, Concession $30.00
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1289509
More News
