News Line 19.4.03

‘Bear’ breaks boundaries

Not particularly knowing what to expect we, find and exciting and stimulating piece of new theatre that pushes the boundaries of convention and breaks through.
The theatre is under the arches of the railway line near Bethnal Green tub station and being greeted at the door to an arch by tow people wearing dalmation masks give a curious start to an evening.
The questions running through my head were strange venue, hopefully the play uses the setting to its full advantage; and why are they wearing masks?
To explain the play would spoil the surprise and delight that an audience feels throughout. To have no knowledge of what is about to transpire adds an extra excitement to the proceedings
You are ushered into a space, which is dominated by a large oval table. Everybody is given a badge with a flag of a designated country and told that when the buzzer sounds to sit in your allocated place at the table, making each individual audience member feeling more part of the piece that just a regular observer.
We are informed that we are all involved in a secret meeting to eradicate a common enemy. The bomb will go off in twenty four minutes.
Fighting against convention, the piece changes tangents so many times it can be quite disorientating. This unsteadiness for the observer is exciting and you find yourself concentration more to make sense of it all, before the piece moves in another completely different direction. An extremely technical play, it uses the surroundings to great effect and the constantly changing set is a masterpiece of design. As and audience member you are taken through many of the emotions.
Dance Bear Dance is primarily a witty piece strongly acted with a large performance art influence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this play and would recommend to everyone that they should see the piece and relish the experience.

back