Battersea Arts Centre, London
**
Crank Theatre’s devised piece is ambitious, aiming to
explore the relationship between architecture and community during Britain ’s 1950s
high-rise flats era. The company show promise but ultimately fall short of a
sky-high production.
Wendy (India Banks) and Roger (Hugh Grant-Peterkin) are
married architects pioneering a new way of living to combat poor post-war
living conditions. Influenced by Swiss architect, Le Corbusier and the Brutalism
movement the pair design high-rise flats which conform to perfect geometric
forms. They are mass produced, uniformed, efficient homes; machines for living.
The couple christen their creations ‘graceful towers’ and dream of their
concrete built flats - with shared walkways - formulating a harmonious
community.
The monochrome, angular theme of the set and costume creates
an impassive atmosphere, effectively reinforcing the dramatic irony the
audience behold regarding high-rise flats and their association with modern
dystopia. We see Corbusier - rigidly articulated by the brilliant Frode Gjerlow
– attempt to hypnotise the high rise flat ‘Community’, entertainingly
personified by Nessa Norich, and the imposition of architects on the community
is patent. The cast show the decline and rotting of the flats - as a result of
cheap building materials and neglected maintenance - through an inventive
montage whereby white, flat, wooden ‘suitcases’ transform from broken lifts
into stiff windows. Norich energetically displays the progressive weariness of
‘Community’ and strikingly illuminates the correlation between the collapse of
community and architectural design. Crank achieve what they set out to do and
show that the mass produced dreams of Corbusier, Roger and Wendy, numb the
complex minds and the spirit of the community who live in such conditions.
People cannot live in machines because they are not machines. However, with no
opportunity of emotional investment or any hints of the broader scope of the
topic, the company fail to give the piece substance in an age where we are
inundated with new housing estates.
The Lecoq inspired style compliments the company’s aim. In a
stand-out scene, the versatile Norich transforms effortlessly with a spin into
four different neighbours in the flats, encapsulating an entire community
through varying defined and sprightly postures. We sense the hostility and
anger of these neighbours as a result of the neglected state of their homes.
Norich captures a community whom without private space have de-identified with
their surroundings and have disregard for the shared spaces and each other
(social animosity Roger and Wendy hadn’t foreseen). Despite evident physical
proficiency amongst the Lecoq school graduates their movement sequences at
times seemed purposeless, such as a frenzied routine depicting members of the
community attempting to rally together to restore the flats, even though it had
just been described.
The relationship between protagonists Roger and Wendy was
also undeveloped and cliché dialogue made it clear that Crank is in its early
stages. Despite clear ambition, talent and some well-crafted moments, Machines for Living compares to the high
rise flats it explores: a promising enterprise which
reaches for the skies but doesn’t make it.
This production runs until 8 December 2012.
For more information: http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/machines-living/
@battersea_arts @cranktheatre
1 comment:
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