Arts House, North Melbourne, October 19
A cacophony of bird sound, a furious fluttering of all kinds of feathers, this is the latest work from Melbourne's Phillip Adams BalletLab. Aviary is presented in collaboration with the Australian Ballet as part of the 2011 Melbourne Festival. This has been a greatly anticipated launch from a company known for its experimental and unshackled approach to dance making. In it, choreographer Phillip Adams uses French 20th-century composer Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux as inspiration and a departure-point for his own "suite of experimental articulations" that celebrates bird-life in a multiplicity of guises.
The work has three distinct "acts". The first presents a dazzlingly bright black-and-white design lit with a startling whiteness and set against a beautiful curtain designed by Gavin Brown. The dancing begins with a male dancer performing a series of short, sprite-like movements, swooping and twitching. It was rather lovely to see this choreography, which seemed so contrary to the way human males learn how to move their bodies. This is followed by pairings, groupings and solo dancers going about the business of being birds, including loud squawking vocalisations.
This first section has a lot of charm, innocence and originality. The costuming is lovely: tutu-like black feathered skirts with bodices, again reminding one that birds are not bound by gender stereotypes and that nature often endows males with the best plumage. In this section, reference is made to Messiaen as sheet music is strewn on the floor and the birds accompany themselves with string instruments. By the end of this act, elaborate head dresses, designed by Richard Nylon, have been assumed and the birds are transformed into dandied fops, sporting handbags and cavorting with self-delight.
The way is paved for the second section. Set in a 1980s-style disco, a central auteur/celebrity/dandy figure, danced by Phillip Adams, his black outfit embellished with significant white plumage, takes the floor. This act seems to be exploring notions of hierarchy and a warring instinct amongst the birds as well as continuing the narcism theme, referenced by the bird of paradise, that runs through the entire work. Fascist-like figures both threaten and seduce the main character. Although the set design introduces colour and movement in the form of a flashing disco floor, the overall effect feels a bit confused and is perhaps trying to layer too many meanings into what might have been stronger as a simpler representation of the behaviours highlighted. The multiple entry points make it difficult to determine the significance of the whole and one misses the pure "birdness" of the first act.
The final, lengthy section has the dancers displaying an excessive range of bird behaviour. Ironically, in this act the birds become increasingly anthropomorphised, their movements less bird-like and more human. A significant volume of nesting material is arranged on stage. Although this act is diverting and not without charm, the range of courting, nesting, grooming, flocking and challenging behaviour is rather over-worked. Branches are flung about the stage and as it becomes increasingly littered, the moment of the dancers becomes increasingly constrained.
The involvement of an ornithologist in the development of parts of this work is especially evident in this section. Restraint in the representation of aspects of bird behaviour shown might have resulted in greater impact. There was rather too much with only subtle variations.
The look, again was striking, with New Guinean tribal/bird costuming represented. The starkly modern foil backdrop/mirror was in contrast to the rustic natural environments of the birds but referenced again the vanity that comes with beautiful plumage and the bower bird's attraction to the bright and shiny.
Much of Aviary is enjoyable, but the final section was rather too long with insufficient content to sustain it. It was good to see the easy combination of contemporary and classical choreography as these are often treated as absolutely separate. The improvised piano accompaniment [played by Adams] was dramatically spiky and quirky and in tune with the work's themes. Aviary is a valuable addition to BalletLab's oeuvre and a fitting work to be showcased at the Melbourne Festival.
– SUSAN BENDALL