120 Birds

This lovingly and intricately compiled and choreographed story of a fictional Australian dance company touring the world in the 1920s and 30s is based on the true stories of Anna Pavlova’s  many tours and performances – and her collection of birds! It has all the excitement and charm of the period, mixed with stresses and setbacks that could befall a company in that heady yet depressing time.

Liz Lea’s concept works beautifully. Supported by carefully chosen vintage film clips from the National Film and Sound Archive, along with stills of costume designs from Les Ballets Russes and the fabrics of Florence Broadhurst, Lea herself narrates the story. She creates a character that relates straight to the audience, engaging them with humour and asides, in a voice that conjures the enunciation of the time … with slight  overtones of Joanna Lumley!

The set is simple yet evocative. Two Florence Broadhurst screens, one down stage right, the other upstage left, set the period. Two triple Chinese lanterns hanging above suggest the influence of Asia on the dancers and choreographers of the time. Lighting is soft and atmospheric.  Dominating all is the cycloramic screen, where the projections take the audience back into a time that was recorded on film and has, thankfully, been preserved.

The costumes suggestively recreate those depicted on screen. There are swirling fabrics , lots of sparkles, sweeping fans, and, of course, feathers! The costume changes are many and swift, as the four principal dancers – Liz Lea herself, Melanie Fayd’herbe de Maudave, Miranda Wheen and Ash Bee – bring the imaginary company to life and take it through classical choreography and ballroom dance steps of the time. The posed, calisthentic-style  movements of early 20^th century ‘garden’ dance formation, the Waltz, the Charleston are mixed with intricate ballet and jazz choreography that weave into Lea’s narration and develop her story.

Particularly impressive is a short interlude where the company dance along to a selection of film clips using exactly the same choreography at exactly the same time. This is amazing to watch – and the effect is stunning. As is the anticlimax of the performance, where Lea brings the story into the present – with  Toni Allen,Glenys Harris, Madeleine Bullock and Charmaine Hallm depicting the company grown older,  but still dancing. The finale, to Rhapsody in Blue, is a combination of costumes and choreography that is a touching précis of the production and the period.

Liz Lea has mixed dance, storytelling, theatre , film and history in a carefully constructed, fast paced, engaging production, which has a wide audience appeal.

Carol Wimmer.