Review: Somnium
Picture: Somnium Dancers (Kerrod Box, Grace Campbell, Bella Cort, Bryna Glass, and Clare Dark). Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Translated from the Latin, Somnium means ‘dream’—hence insomnia as a term used for the inability to sleep. I also gather that Somnium has been used as the title for several creative projects (including a short film, and SciFi novel), and is a brand name for a drug that is used as a pre-med, for anxiety, or for sleeping problems. Which all means that Somnium is the perfect title for choreographer Kelsey Dell’s compelling new work, that is ‘inspired by states of dreaming and the imaginings of our unconscious minds.’
Somnium has several movements, with transitions and breaks that certainly mimic the dreamlike and anxiety states. In a mere 40 minutes, the five ‘movers’ (Dancers Kerrod Box, Grace Campbell, Bella Cort, Bryna Glass, and Clare Dark) demonstrate their acting, contemporary dance, disco, acro and movement skills—evoking mood swings through happiness and delight through to pain, fear, and anxiety.
I could try to write about my own interpretation of the ‘story’ behind this show, but I have never been particularly successful in making sense of dreams (who is?!). Which is why I am concentrating on the moments and aspects of Somnium that remained with me as I left the space.
The opening duet was a great way to start the show (some lovely moments of comedy, playfulness and tension with the ‘shooting’), and the first ‘movement’ where all five dancers (complete with cat toy) were on stage was fabulously euphoric. The various references to running on the spot, dance exercises/moves, jumping, and circling were compelling and creative ideas—conveying the changeable and often frenzied moments of sleep. And I particularly enjoyed the ‘catwalk’—complete with cat tunnels which are cleverly repurposed into what I read as being the latest fashion show, and where each performer had their own unique way of ‘wearing’ the latest style.
Picture: Somnium running. Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: Somnium emotion. Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: Somnium emotion. Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: Somnium cat tunnel fashion (Credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Picture: Somnium. Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: Somnium: dreams or nightmares? Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
I loved the costume choices, which appeared to reference The Matrix with the use of wraparound black glasses and suits. The occasional removing of the glasses appeared to signal those moments when we wake briefly from dreams, and the wearing of the suit jackets back-to-front was a lovely touch in those weird tricks of the dreaming mind that invert so much of our lived experience. For me, the dancer’s final removal of the suits, catwalk fashion items, and glasses signalled their awakening from this dream.
Finally, I’d also like to congratulate the sound and lighting designer (uncredited in the program), as the soundtrack worked so well in establishing and maintaining the often jerky moves from one part of the dream to the next. At one point the movers contributed live vocals to the soundtrack, speaking in unison, saying ‘Hello. Is there someone there? I can assure you it’s not the least amusing. I shall report this.’ My report is that if you are looking for innovation and a creative piece of new dance, it’s certainly worth looking out for future showings of this wacky, nightmarish, fun new work—particularly if performed by these five talented movers. I see that Somnium has already had development showings, and that Motus Collective is presenting the show in Townsville later this year. If you are planning to be at the North Australian Festival of Arts, you might want to go along, and see how YOU interpret this particular dream.
Picture: Somnium cast (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography)