Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang! is a theatrical dance double header playing at the Blue Room. Called Bang! Bang! for the themes of murder, melodrama and well, murder, the title might also apply to the fact that both these shows are little bangers.

Love You Stranger, choreographed by Shona Erskine, in collaboration with the dancers, with text by Vahri McKenzie, looks at three women brought to trial for murder, two of them, where the crime occurred almost within sight of the performance. Martha Rendell, accused of murdering her step children, and the last woman hanged in Western Australia (beautifully played by Storm Helmore), Audrey Jacobs who infamously killed her abusive fiancé in Perth’s Government House Ballroom (danced sensitively by Scott Elstermann) and Queenslander Ellen Thompson, the first and only woman hanged in Queensland (played with depth by Bernadette Lewis). Concentrating on the impact of public shaming, this moving and effective piece is beautifully constructed and danced with extreme precision.

Act 2, Scenes 1-4, also looks at murder, but a show more different thematically would be hard to imagine. While it shares excellent and innovative choreography, and outstanding timing with its companion piece, this work, choreographed by Scott Elstermann, is inspired by Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. Using music from the film, it applies conventions from the film such as stop motion, and whip pans, to create a highly melodramatic, almost cartoonish, and often funny work. Very skilfully danced by Bernadette Lewis, Storm Helmore, Laura Boynes and Lilly King, this is a delight.

Both pieces share effective sound design by Joe Lui, while Chris Donnelly’s lighting design creates very different moods for each piece - both featuring some wonderful use of colour.

Bang! Bang! is a must-see for fans of contemporary dance, those who are interested in historical crime and fans of Wes Anderson, and this entree sized production with its wildly different pieces make this a perfect starter piece for those who would like to see contemporary dance for the first time.

Kimberley Shaw