Melbourne Reviews

PaPer Man is a sweet piece where you’re drawn into the world of two characters, a man and a woman, and he is challenged in a very charming way. The physicality of dancer Taurus Ashley is expressive and refined; he plays out fully the intention of his movements; I was less convinced by partner Kelly Way. Her dancing is too gymnastic, too athletic, somehow, as though in a way she is still in transition from being a performer in training. The problem isn’t in her strength, which is a treat, rather in some lack of grace and of follow-through with her movements. The use of props in this piece is amusing, thoughtful and eloquent, producing some delightful tableaux. The siren’s playful tricks with balloons and papers nearly tempt the staid man but in the end produce in him a destructive defensiveness.

The 499^th Day offers a choreography adhering very closely to the (truly lovely) musical score, but almost subsumed by it. Some of the more interesting moments were where one performer danced to the melody and her partner to the pulse of the music. The two dancers (Kelly Way and Anna Simm) were freed once they discarded their flimsy wings and visibly warmed to the choreography. The choreography, though, was often pedestrian and repetitive, and not enough was made of the fact of there being two bodies on stage. Some nice touches but again, still a little too gymnastic in style, not quite varied or refined enough to plumb the sort of depths it hoped to, reminding me at times of mat routines by gymnasts. It ended on a poignant, lingering note.


Liquid Skin presents
PaPer Man & The 499th Day
A Double Bill of physical theatre and contemporary dance

Director/Choreographer Rochelle Carmichael

Venue: Theatre Works | 14 Acland St, St Kilda
Dates/Times: Thurs 23rd – Sat 25th Sept at 7pm, Tues 28th Sept to Sat 2nd Oct at 8.30pm
Matinee: Sat 2nd Oct at 3.30pm
Tickets: $25 Full / $20 Conc
Bookings: 03 9534 3388