Before the performance begins a video camera pointed at the audience projects our waiting faces onto the screen, individuals singled out and video mapped onto the bodies of superheroes and samurai wrestlers. We laugh, we smile, we’re amused and enchanted. After this pre-show, it’s a helter-skelter freefall into an optic, joyful, fast-paced, pulsating arcade of visual conundrums. Technology is at the heart of it, with the video artist there on stage right next to the sound artist. At the forefront are four physically highly dexterous and precise performers. Bodies are clad either in white shiny suits or futuristic black ones with studs on the back. Sometimes there are simple (yet technically challenging) solos. With its jaw dropping optical illusions, and syncopated movement to electrobeat music, this technodelic show won the Spirit of the Fringe award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011.
Some of the performers’ movement is coordinated with projected symbols, video mapping or laser lights, while the simple set allows artists to disappear behind-screen to cast shadows and silhouettes. Real figures quickly become confused with projected video forms as they leap on, off and through the screen in a techno-beat Japanese Forkbeard Fantasy kind of way. A favourite section was a rainbow sequence where each sound had a physical movement, symbol and colour, while another was a sequence toward the end where a playful performer and pink ball seemingly came off the screen into real solidity. Siro-A’s Technodelic! presents one of the best ever uses of human form, vibrant movement, sound and video projection. Everything enhanced everything else; nothing was obsolete, nor was there an ill-timed moment.
This show has a full-on ‘genki feeling’. So concise, eye boggling, exhilarating, amazingly zestful, playful and cute.