FringeReview Scotland 2024
Contemporary Sisyphus
Marcos Pereira, presented as part of Gathered Together 24
Genre: Dance, Dance and Movement Theatre, Solo Performance
Venue: Tramway Theatre
Festival: FringeReview Scotland
Low Down
Solo show with a poised and graceful performer enhanced by the performance space. This held you and gave you an inner turmoil; within an external settled piece which as so powerful.
Review
A light diagonally across the stage is the pathway for Pereira. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, he begins this journey as we watch, each movement choreographed in a precise manner. The external of his movement is mirrored with a passive face which shows the effort required and the patience needed to continue on this path.
After a while the words appear onscreen, spoken in Spanish, of the pain and the suffering that has brought him to our place. It is visceral in terms of description but there are, like in his movement, glimmers of hope and happiness.
His presence is spellbinding at times as he holds us metaphorically in the palm of his performance. It asks of us many questions, once the words appear onscreen, but also in terms of the meaning of dance as Pereira, a deaf dancer manages to challenge us and entertain in equal measure. It’s simply craftily beautiful.
The pain which he lets out in his final image as a scream, is never that far away. You get the feeling that the inner struggle is one that ahs always been there and noticed by him but oftentimes probably ignored by others. I got the impression that this inner turmoil, of being in a hearing world where noise is recognised, has its focus internally on how that makes emotions subverted into smaller movements in case their physical presence is noted. There are opportunities to move but there are obstacles from the past, often behind him which try and draw him back.
As a visual metaphor it was quite profound, and I found myself feeling that we were witnessing a universal truth intimately felt in private. Opening up to have that examined has with it an intense vulnerability which was affecting.
Being the only dancer onstage is by itself quite a vulnerable position however the ability that Pereira has, allows us to feel more than comfort and confidence in his performance. The personal story that is layered and exposed puts us in quite a privileged position as it is highly charged with personality and the personal. What it gives us is not a glimpse into the world he inhabits but a screamingly obvious reason why diversity in dance is vital to understanding any human condition.
