Sydney Reviews

Photo – Michele Aboud

In the space before time began there was nothing. Then there was something. The universe continued to evolve as particles connected. Eventually conscious human beings were created.

The dancers become these particles. With short and precise movements they connect, combine and then break away. They become humans copulating (very tastefully of course) and even Gods. Theatre tends to deal with human experience on an interpersonal level so it is both refreshing and slightly confronting to see our lives placed in such grand context.

The main flaw with this piece is that the same style of movement is used throughout and becomes tedious. Am I is at its most interesting when it starts to ask, at what point do we change from atoms into humans. The work touches on this without exploring it fully. There needs to be a change in movement style to reflect this transformation.

Sound is introduced from the back corner of the theatre before moving to the front and filling up the entire space. Composer Nick Wales has created a percussion heavy score, influenced by world music to evoke a sense of the global human experience. The score is played, by musicians who are occasionally glimpsed on a platform above the stage. If there was a soundtrack available in the foyer afterwards, I would have found myself digging into my wallet.   

There is a wall of light globes centre stage behind the dancers. When these are in full force, they leave burn marks on your retinas, being neither subtle or terribly interesting. They need to be used in a range of different ways in order to justify their prominent position on stage,

Am I is a bold but flawed piece. Check it out if you have sobered up from New Year’s booze and are ready to contemplate our place in the universe.


Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House present
AM I
Shaun Parker & Company

Venue: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Dates: 9 – 12 January 2014
Tickets: $72 – $56
Bookings: 02 9250 7777