Freeze Frame

Debbie Allen's much publicised world premiere Freeze Frame emerged onto the stage this week as part of the Brisbane Festival. Famous for her role in the TV series Fame, Ms Allen has become somewhat of a figurehead in LA having created choreography for many name artists and set up her own dance academy.

The show is basically a dance-driven narrative inspired by the despair and helplessness she felt at the loss of innocent life from the city's gangs, guns, drugs and violence. Presented as a series of vignettes, we meet a number of predominantly black and hispanic characters on an impressive set by Michael Scott-Mitchell surrounded by a stunning ever-changing lit mural artwork background by John Valdaz.

Though Ms Allen is known more as a choreographer, this show has the ingredients of a full-scale musical, with dialogue, a selection of moving monologues by the central characters (in particular William Wingfield as the Collector and even one outstanding cameo performance by Ms Allen herself), some colourful choreography, ensemble work and evocative original song.

Freeze Framedoesn't deliver as a book, but its saving grace was a selection of moving performances, in particular Mathew Johnson's rendition of 'The Sky is Blue", Dionne Gipson's vocals and a poignant pas de deux featuring Eartha Robinson.

The gruesome street life factor that inspired this production may not be everyone's taste, but if it worked with West Side Story, perhaps this showcase of LA local community talent could work just as well with the Academy's own production of this untimely fifties musical.

Brian Adamson