Apr 4, 2010

ALSO GOOD.


PINA BAUSCH + TANZTHEATER WUPPERTAL'S KONTAKTHOF at the BARBICAN.

My uncle Thom always says that "too long" isn't a proper criticism, yet too long is a chief complaint for me about many things. The late great Pina Bausch was known for making "evening length" works, pieces you structured your whole night around and (gasp!) maybe even dressed up for, and as much as I respect that, well, I did find this a tad too long. Really it was the fault of a twenty minute intermission. I abhor intermissions! I believe certain sequences could have been shaved a little bit so the show could clock in at maybe just over two hours and call it a full night sans intermission. Of course, to be fair to my uncle, that's technically a criticism of editing.

This was my first opportunity to see a Pina Bausch work live and really, I loved it. So funny! So theatrical! Kontakthof was originally produced in 1978, and explores both physical and emotional communication between the sexes. This staging had two separate casts of eleven men and women, one cast teenagers and the other adults over 65. I saw the "seniors," and I hate to use the word refreshing but I guess I just did. I hope her repertoire continues to be performed so I can see more of it!

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