Body of Evidence
The One Extra Company
St George's Hall, 354 King St, Newtown
Until September 29
Reviewed by Lisa Macdonald
If you, like me, are into good crime fiction, then try to get along to Body of Evidence.
Celebrating 20 years of performance dance with this new show, the One Extra Company has tackled what is often a conservative genre with an irreverence and abundance of energy that is captivating.
Inspired by the popularity of crime fiction, Body of Evidence was dramatised by award-winning Sydney crime fiction writer Marlene Day, probably best known for her Claudia Valentine thrillers.
Directed and choreographed by Julie-Anne Long and designed by Rohan Wilson, the hour-long performance is an action-packed romp through the worlds of violence, murder and forensics. The pace is fast (so fast that I have to admit to losing the plot on occasion), the crimes are many (including those committed by the boys and girls in blue), and the suspects are, of course, endless. The only element missing is the trial — members of the audience must work it out for themselves.
The production uses a minimum of dialogue, dramatic and colourful lighting, slides, great sound effects and multiple "stages" simultaneously, to create a mood that slides effortlessly between fear, defiance, tragedy and humour as the plots thicken and the many characters appear and develop. Along the way there are some magic moments — the explanation of the autopsy procedure is very funny, as is the mimed conversation between performer Benjamin Grieve (who shines in this show) and the adult-size rag doll who's just about to "get it".
I never actually worked out "who done it" in Body of Evidence, but somehow that doesn't seem to matter. It is the youthful exuberance of the dancers and the many self-contained "scene of the crime" vignettes which make this show so enjoyable. The story lines fade into insignificance as the dancers leap around the stage, flaunt their sexuality, stalk and struggle with each other, and clearly have a great time doing it. For me too, Body of Evidence was a lot of fun.