The Stage

Political Mother

Published Monday 24 May 2010 at 11:20 by William McEvoy

Hofesh Schechter’s world premiere, Political Mother, commissioned by the Brighton Festival, brings together his by now recognisable mix of explosive choreography and sensory musical overload.

A scene from Political Mother by Hofesh Shechter company at Brighton Dome Photo: Tristram Kenton

The piece is a dynamic, episodic take on oppression and liberation, using dancers as vectors for political forces.

To the sounds of live electric guitar and military drums, as well as recorded classical strings, the piece takes us from frustration and entrapment to a sense of freedom and hope. Schechter’s choreography largely eschews elegance and grace as his dancers’ bodies jerk, pulse and shift in distortive rhythms. Yet there are odd moments of synchronicity, points at which figures who often seem in physical pain start to connect.

Central to the piece is the figure of the demagogue above the stage spouting his grinding message into an amplified microphone. At the start, he is menacing and incoherent - later, as the chorus of dancers starts to resist, hands punching the air, he becomes absurd.

Lee Curran’s extraordinary lighting design shatters the gloom of the large stage. Dancers are sombrely dressed to start - later, colours hint at a hopeful future based on collective action. They move laterally as well as vertically, often writhing along the floor. Gestures are convulsive and juddering, repeated actions forming complex motifs.

While Schechter’s choreography is never less than original, the pounding music threatens to drown out the movement at times and the episodic structure can feel frustrating and lose momentum. Yet, in adding the vibe of a rock concert to contemporary dance, Schechter is bringing the form to life for a new generation of spectators.