Diavolo is known for incorporating over-sized surrealist sets and large structural pieces into their performances so I was expecting something vaguely KÀ-like, in fact some scenes in KÀ are blatantly borrowed from concepts developed by Diavolo. The difference was that Diavolo was able to effectively use these large props and set-pieces in a way so that the performances shone through and weren't upstaged by the sets. It didn't seem gimmicky at all like it does in KÀ.
The troupe performed five pieces from their repertoire tonight. The second piece tonight D2R-A was the inspiration for the Climb scene in KÀ:
In this version the Plinko board is stationary and doesn't fly around in the air. The piece was originally created back in 1995 but they've since reworked it and it's now performed to the end title theme of The Matrix Revolutions which gives it a bit of a KÀ feel but the choreographical concept for the Diavolo version is much better defined and the piece was powerful.
The finale piece tonight, Trajectoire, is performed on a large rocking boat-like platform (and was obviously the basis for the Storm scene in KÀ).
However, the way the choreography was structured with interesting variations in the styles of movement and above all the emotion projected by the dancers was able to transcend the overwhelming set-piece and create a beautiful work of art. I was completely captivated throughout the entire half-hour piece (by comparison I get bored and lose interest about a minute and a half into the three-minute Storm scene in KÀ). I was surprised that a piece featuring such an ungainly and cumbersome set-piece could actually be so lyrical. Trajectoire ends with a lone female dancer on the tilted platform doing a beautiful, heart-wrenching solo. Her expression combined with the music was just stunning.
Fast forward to about 6:45 in the vid for a clip of Trajectoire:
The other pieces they chose to perform tonight were also very good, they opened with one of their newest pieces called Foreign Bodies which was a very abstract expressionist piece involving a large cube that they de-construct and re-construct into a variety of different geometric shapes. I loved how the piece combined dance with the notions of geometry and architecture.
The other two pieces were pas de deux entitled Knockturne Duet I and II, "knock" being a pun because they are centered around a door set-piece; duet one was a little comedic vignette, duet two was very lyrical and poetic and reminded me of La Nouba's aerial cradle.
Anyway, I'm glad I decided to go check out Diavolo, Jacques Heim's original work for Diavolo is infinitely more interesting than the stuff that ended up in KÀ. He seems like an interesting guy too, he personally came out on stage to introduce the show and he hosted a talk-back with the cast afterward.
I definitely recommend checking out a Diavolo performance if you get the chance.
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