Reviewed: Mar 14

One of the more eclectic offerings in this year's Hong Kong Arts Festival, Montreal's Compagnie Marie Chouinard describes itself as a contemporary dance company, but performance art might be a more appropriate label.

Its new work Ode to Joy - Orpheus and Eurydice, choreographed by founder Marie Chouinard, contains much movement, with elements of experimental theatre and Cirque du Soleil-style circus but little actual dance. The performers use their voices and faces as well as their bodies, speaking, screaming, grunting and producing exaggerated facial expressions.

At one hour and 50 minutes, the piece was far too long. The first half was entertaining, if obscure, with a welcome levity of humour. There were interesting visual ideas and striking moments, notably the use of lighting to silhouette the dancers in dramatic poses and an erotic duet with acrobatic lifts and balances.

In contrast, the second half dragged. Opening with the tired device of a performer climbing through the stalls to get a reaction from the audience, it was clear that Chouinard had run out of ideas and the remainder of the evening became repetitive and tedious.

There was a heavy emphasis on sexuality. Men and women were both naked from the waist up throughout, apart from gold pasties covering the nipples, while the men stalked about from time to time in platform shoes. This was an explicit production with a substantial amount of on-stage copulation, but the extended bout of simulated sex in the second half had no artistic merit and verged on the sleazy.

The energy and commitment of the performers were admirable and while a number of people left at the interval, the production was well received by those who stayed on.