Matt Rudkin left the world of professional dance to take a job in the Metropolitan police, but, after some time spent riot training with his new friends, a chance meeting with a busking hula princess (represented to us in the form of a small toy) lead to an epiphany, the development of naïve dance, and the ultimate return of Matt to the world of contemporary dance. The recounting of this story is the first of many surreal moments that grace the stage, and it only gets wonderfully odder from there on in.
The performance itself is in the form of a lecture-presentation, building up to the inevitable demonstration of naïve dance, the reason we are all here. Rudkin has amazing stage presence. His ability to flip performance registers is quite surreal – every time he switches back to his formal lecture mode there’s a moment of realisation at how mad the piece has become, and every time you think you have found a flaw in his weird dance logic Rudkin brings his own reasoning to light. He mocks the forms of contemporary dance/performance, but at the same time pays nothing but tribute to them.
The inevitable moment comes as the demonstration of naïve dance – which is made up of three stages: the dance of air, liquid and flesh – begins, but it is quickly broken by the entrance of the real life hula princess. The focus of the story is then positioned on the twisted relationship between the two of them.
There are many highlights in this surprising and entertaining performance as the strange just keeps getting stranger: the manipulation dance where the hula girl is thrown about the stage is both compassionate and fierce, and has you transfixed; and the mini performance art puppet is nothing short of brilliant as a reflection of the audience’s own grasp on what has just taken place in front of them.
This performance won’t be for everyone, but will be remembered by all who witness it. Surreal, weird and brilliant, I can’t wait to see what Inconvenient Spoof come up with next.