Sadler’s Wells, London.
27 February 2025.
In both pre-performance reading and post-show talk onstage with Wayne McGregor, there was plenty of information about jellyfish.
The production title Deepstaria is the name of a species of large, deep-sea jellyfish, ‘Deepstaria’ who are known for their thin fragile, and sheet-like bodies; the bell of their bodies resembling a plastic bag or translucent lampshade used to capture prey.
McGregor told the audience how he has always been fascinated by jellyfish and their continual shape-shifting due to the forces of the water. In a similar way, he uses this idea to continually test and try out different ways the human body can feel motion, both within and externally. He described the use of Vantablack Vision technology in Deepstaria, which was used to create a cutout blackhole effect on the already black stage, and digital audio engine Bronze AI which was used with the created soundtrack to keep the relationship between performers and the music fresh each night. A move towards emulating live music, rather than moving away from it.
McGregor revealed that although dancers had prepared by rehearsing in the dark, it was still very challenging and disorientating for them to dance on the incredibly dark stage, with moving lights and no visual cues to indicate the back of the stage. He encouraged the audience to experience the work without trying to tie it down to a narrative.
I look forward to being drawn into the void.
The busy audience are plunged into deep darkness and a fluid duet opens to a humming reverberating soundtrack. They flow together in mesmerising, shape-creating movement. Stark lighting drops to sudden blackout, then illuminates the next scene – a soloist. Fluid again, yet experimentally rhythmic, too. From the darkness, another emerges. Atmospheric side-lighting grows stronger, creating a striped effect in the air as dancers appear and disappear.
As we continue to be introduced to this team of nine independent and muscular dancers, the way they use their individual bodies draws and retains curious attention. The strike of bare feet running full pelt across the satisfyingly expansive stage space, into lifts, into some extremely well-paired partnerships, is energising. Uplifting.
There is a recurring theme of uniqueness and togetherness throughout this production. And after a sharp blackout, a quartet is ready onstage to challenge us. Sharp-cut scenes of precision follow, with male and female partnerships explored, the female an equal partner, often the support. One member of the quartet engages with a newcomer to the stage, whilst the others look on. They embody the endless music with endless movement; never quite still even when stationary, following each other with their eyes and body.
This use of eyeline is interesting and brings personability to the production. Dancers revolve around one another, often leading us to their next partner or grouping with their eyeline. A trio of two male and one female dancers, also explores different partnerships within it. There is some experimentation here with audible breath and hands against body. The dancers’ knowledge and support of one another, their trust and assuredness in executing inventive lifts, turns and journeying through the space is deeply captivating.
To describe the everchanging yet continuous music would invite terms such as yearning, leaning, rocking, tilting, mesmeric sound. There is also dripping, whirring, creaking, a heartbeat, and at other times noises are unrecognisable.
Lighting is stark and white, contrasting of course with the unfathomable darkness elsewhere. Except for an occasional glow of powerful red and orange.
In another scene, a strobe-like rain effect – with light opened towards the audience engulfing them – offers a sense of freedom as one soloist dances in the rain. Alone first, then joined by a partner, with a backdrop of synchronised movement from the rest of the company, who grew softly from the dark background. This evokes a mellow and comforting feeling of grounding.
And a purple scene that arrives with pleasant change, and an off-centre spotlight resembling a jellyfish; holds a dancer within it. A most engaging movement piece follows, with dancers entering in white floating fabric. They dance their fingers and hands through the low side lights. It is visually stimulating and satisfying, whether or not it is representative of the deep sea, or deep space. It could be either, or whatever the imagination desires. Delightfully, this light play continues for some time.
It builds gradually, eventually working to a magnificent feast not least for the eyes, of energetic movement and partnership of so much variety and virtuosity across the stage. The type of scene to watch repeatedly and be able to engage with something different each time.
The ending is restful and passive. Both for the audience, in a sensational and reflective way, and for the majority of dancers onstage, too, who lie on their backs side by side in a column on the right-hand side. A wonderful visual representation of rest, whilst soloist Rebecca Bassett-Graham dances the production to its final ending, wandering away from the audience towards the deep void. Peace.
By Louise Ryrie of Dance Informa.
