UNIVERSAL HORRORS by Dyana Sonik-Henderson (Broken Rhythms Victoria Society). At th Randolph Theatre. July 13 at 5:15 pm, July 14 at 7:30 pm, July 16 at 3:30 pm. See listing. Rating: NN
The idea of an indie dance company from Victoria, BC, evoking those old black and white horror movies like Frankenstein, Dracula and Creature From The Black Lagoon is intriguing, but there are few chills and thrills in this show.
The company basically projects black and white video (by Michelle Munkittrick) onto a cloth screen, cranks up some music (everything from Tchaikovsky to Philip Glass and Holly Herndon) and then dances vaguely suggestive movement in front of the screen. The lighting (by Emma Dickerson) and costumes help tell us what film theyre paying homage to.
The performers are young and energetic, but none stand out in choreography that often looks improvised. I applaud the fact that the ensemble is all female, but the lack of male dancers is felt in certain segments.
The tongue-in-cheek Invisible Man scene stands out for its humour, but otherwise this show will make you want to see the films themselves. Interpretive dance about them just doesn’t cut it.
