CALL OF THE SPIRIT TWIN
The sheer candidness of this opening gives it a simple beauty, the dark and somewhat threatening text counterpointed by the delicate dance of unframed canvases. The performers seem empowered by being onstage, like flag bearers in a parade. This opening scene, underscored by Willy Steele’s gentle but quietly urgent percussion, is evocative and open-ended, allowing text and image to complement one another and resonate with associations.
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Blakemore’s performance is much more solidly crafted; impressively, she commits fully to whatever choice she makes. At one point she performs an African chant seemingly intended to wake the two dancers asleep on opposite sides of the stage. Blakemore’s voice is rich and beautifully untrained, and her sense of ownership of the chant makes its performance quite beguiling. Blakemore is saying something through this chant, something urgent and timeless.