Be prepared to rub your eyes in disbelief.
‘Shadowland’ will have you questioning how nine dancers can possibly morph their bodies into an elephant, a seahorse, and a swag of fantastical creatures.
Pilobolus Dance Company’s world-wide hit, ‘Shadowland’, must be seen to be believed. From behind a screen, the dancers stack their bodies on top of each other to create towering images and landscapes in shadow. It is only when we catch a glimpse of the dancers tumbling out from behind the screen that we are reminded these shadows are made live on stage by human bodies.
Image © Ian DouglasThat’s the true beauty of the show – witnessing the visual magic nine individual bodies can create together. 'Shadowland’s creator Mark Fucik cleverly manipulates the screen to enliven the awe-inspiring shadows, and to showcase the physical bodies that are making them. Throughout the show, the screen is raised or spun around to reveal the dancers' bodies, just in time to see them roll out of their combined shape and break into modern dance.
The live dance sequences that take place in front of the screen are equally are effective as the majestic shadows. A lyrical dance trio is particularly effective, as it conjures images and feelings of a girl who is dreaming she can fly. Two male dancers manipulate the girl’s body above their heads, making her appear weightless and free as she floats through the air.
Image © Ian DouglasWhile the dancers are undoubtedly impressive, and the shadows ingenious, the thin narrative is little more than a vehicle to display their shadow making skill. It follows a young girl who discovers her own shadow on her bedroom wall. As she falls asleep (in a bed made from three human bodies!), she enters the shadow realm and lives out her wildest dreams and fantasies. She becomes a puppy, travels the world, swims in the ocean, and makes new human and non-human friends, all created on stage by bodies in shadow.
Overall, 'Shadowland’s clever blend of circus, acrobatics, dance and shadow puppetry makes for an exciting night at the theatre.
