Reviewed by Natalie Low
If love is like a box of chocolates, what happens when you have too much of it? Your Tomorrow – a jazz dance for 2 brings you along the journey of a blossoming relationship, and its ups and downs. With hypnotising and skilled movements, the 2 dancers work hard throughout the 50 minutes. Their moves are precise, energetic, and emotionally charged.
The strength of the piece lies on the back of the performers - Jack Anderson and Katie Armstrong. Their tight movements, controlled unison and diligent execution of the jazz style, are impressive and a great representation of the talent that lies here in Scotland.
Starting off with the bubbly personality of the female, you feel almost instantly connected to her story, and her positive output on life so clearly depicted through her whole body. You feel excited for her as she is playfully getting to know the male dancer and the contrast between the eager cheekiness of her versus the relaxed wooing of him provides a nice visual balance for the viewer. You feel naturally drawn to her with her big doe eyes and curious nature, you root for her to find happiness and for this all to succeed.
There were some transitions that felt slightly abrupt through the sound design, taking a while for the audience to piece which part of the relationship they were witnessing now. Their courtship is adorable, with the use of many many Ferrero Rochers. Given that there was no set, the props were essential in helping tell this story. Using only a suitcase, the aforementioned extraordinary amount of Ferrero Rochers, a flask, 2 cups, and the man’s suit jacket, your attention is never distracted by anything else.
The lighting design was fairly simple, with bright general lights mainly used in the beginning. Things go awry quickly when too much of a good thing presents itself to be a problem. The dancers effectively showcase the darker moments of a relationship. Lights follow suit with more blues and shadow play when we arrive at the turning point.
Feeling so invested in this relationship at this point, the frustration of watching this couple continue along the path of self-destructive behaviour means the ending creates an impact that is deafeningly silent amongst the audience. No one wants this to be over.
After a sold-out show at Fringe in 2016, it is great to see this piece back on stage.
This was a precious watch.
Image Supplied