FringeReview Scotland 2025
Bodies of Water
Bow Collective
Genre: Movement
Venue: Cumbernauld Theatre at Lanternhouse.
Festival: FringeReview Scotland
Low Down
The structure of the performance was interesting insofar as it challenged our perceptions of performance as well as our interactive responsibilities as an audience. Choreography was fluid, which matched the contemplative nature of the subject matter. Technically, it had a sombre atmosphere and quiet approach to every aspect of it which managed to ensure that we were brought into the centre of a fairly relaxed atmosphere.
Review
I found this a challenge from the beginning as we had an interactive opportunity for us to play with clay. Invited as either solo, duo or small group opportunities, a piece of clay was given and eyes shut or eyes opened we then created a vessel for water. Thereafter we were invited into the outside of the performance space to contemplate. Before sitting we were given other bowls, previously created by other audiences, then used to pass water between us and around the outside. Afterwards with a piece of stage furniture which was a number of pieces of ice dripping slowly into a bowl surrounded by various vessels including bottles and jugs that were now half-filled water was moved from one of the vessels to another. These were then handed out to a group of us to continue the noise. Thereafter, Aya Kobayashi performed a number of fluid performance sections with Simone Kenyon, providing support by interacting with her, placing a variety of different objects on her body, as well as scattering some debris that created a form of seascape, adult, shore-like beach floorscape.
At one point during this, I found myself very relaxed, and though I was particularly challenged by the beginning, feeling that I didn’t want to participate, but not forced to, did. Once somebody had approached me and asked if I wanted to be part of their duo, it became contemplative, and I was challenged by that.
Once we had got into the circle and I was handed a couple of bottles to move water between, and invited to pass these on should I wish to, I found myself more engaged and involved because I was wanting to find the different sounds. So, when they came to take my bottles away, and instead of being a sulky child, I found myself exceptionally relaxed, it made me meditate upon the nature of performance itself.
I found myself not only fully engaged, but quite comfortable with the idea that I could do this, because I wanted to really enjoy it.
Kobayashi’s dance entranced me, and I was able to relax into time beginning to melt into a distance. The opportunity to behave as a child would and work with clay leaving that residue on our hands that felt as if we were back in the nursery of our youth really set this up.
The objects placed upon Kobayashi as she moved, seemed to have a significance, of which I wasn’t quite sure, but felt that points of the body where being singled out. The section with the bag of water that she was able to move from shoulder to shoulder to floor to herself making different sounds was interesting. And while the soundscape washed over us in a way that provided a wave of performance her movement was highly effective.
By the end Kenyon had thrown some objects off a table across the middle of the performance space and interaction with that had a feeling of performance that was quite unique within itself.
It left me feeling washed over and not washed out.
