INCARNATION at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
★★★★
“Caruso is a meticulous performer; each step choreographed with a purpose”
“I remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember being tied up, being unable to speak. I remember how much I hurt trying to escape”.
Maria Caruso’s pre-recorded voice swoops above the stage while below, her lithe figure expresses the sentiment behind those words, alone on a vast stage. It is a moment of bravery that almost eclipses our appreciation of her unique choreography.
“I gave my soul and every ounce of energy to get away. And I was free. Free to become the person I am today… to let the past go and forget what happened. To find the light inside myself”
Although we never learn the detail – what happened to her? – her solo dance performance tells a powerful story. One that is personal to her but that we can interpret in whichever way we feel. The same was said of her previous show, Metamorphosis, of which Incarnation is, if not a sequel, an extension. Like the former, Caruso describes it as “an in-depth retelling of the intimate stories with no words”. Except that there are quite a lot of words in this show. Phrases litter the prologue to the performance as though torn out of a therapist’s thesaurus. We are invited to ‘see’ her story through ‘every fibre of her being’. There are definite moments when we feel we do not need really to be told this, but to let her movement, and Ryan Onestak’s evocative music score unfurl the narrative; along with our own imaginations.
“There is a powerful defiance that fuels the dance routines”
For it is visually quite stunning. It can be argued that Theatre Royal Drury Lane is too vast for this intimate piece, yet Caruso manages to fill the space with her personality. Simplicity is the key, with a minimal set reminiscent of the late Peter Brook’s ‘Empty Space’ school of thought. A lone clothes rail is a lonely backdrop, from which she plucks dresses that each represent a turning point in her life. Downstage, a writing desk is the only prop, at which she writes letters. In fact, the show is a love letter, a begging letter. She writes letters of intent, of pain, of revelation. To whom? A lover? A confidant? She waits for a reply forlornly. When it eventually arrives during the final moments, some of us might have seen its message coming.
But it is the journey that fascinates. Caruso is a meticulous performer; each step choreographed with a purpose. Her talents stretch beyond dance and there is something filmic about the show – the detail, facial expressions and small gestures speak as loudly as the body rolls and arches while her eye is firmly trained on the camera lens. It is a touch distracting and distancing, though, and at times we feel we are the studio audience for a future stream.
Innovative and emotive, we are left in no doubt that this is autobiographical. How much dramatic licence is used is open to question yet there is no denying the courageous honesty as Caruso figuratively and almost literally bares herself. Yet beyond the high-flown metaphors there is something calculated and controlled that belies the tortured soul that is being exorcised.
Nevertheless, we are uplifted. Something profound is taking place. Simultaneously hard to explain but simple in its truth. Caruso is a striking dancer and choreographer, image-maker, storyteller and thought-provoker. There is a powerful defiance that fuels the dance routines. Triumphant and optimistic, even if a touch over-dramatic and indulgent. Sometimes the emotion doesn’t ring true, and the suffering is at odds with the self-adulation; but we are more than willing to be drawn into the conceit. It is ultimately quite beautiful to watch.
INCARNATION at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Reviewed on 2nd October 2024
by Jonathan Evans
Previously reviewed at this venue:
PIPPIN IN CONCERT | ★★★★★ | April 2024
YOUR LIE IN APRIL | ★★★★ | April 2024
WILD ABOUT YOU – A NEW MUSICAL IN CONCERT | ★★★ | March 2024
HANDEL’S MESSIAH: THE LIVE EXPERIENCE | ★★★ | December 2022
INCARNATION
INCARNATION
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