Day of Ire

Physical Concert at ALFREDVEDVOŘE

Expats.cz Staff

Written by Expats.cz Staff Published on 28.03.2008 12:10:57 (updated on 28.03.2008) Reading time: 1 minute

Written by Fleur Alexander
for ALFREDVEDVOŘE

Day of Ire
Physical Concert

Pierre Nadaud is sitting to the side whilst the audience trickles in. Words in French and Czech resonate up into the tiered seats. Performances without precise beginnings are always appealing; you are entering a predetermined space and atmosphere. You walk in still thinking about your day, you have no time to sit down and change the direction of your thought. This is done for you the second you enter through the door. A world will not be built up in front of you, but rather you will extract the individual components from the ensemble. It takes away a spectators control and choice, a theme explored during the piece itself.

A physical exploration inspired by the Book of Job, with music and co-direction by Vojta Švejda, the audience is introduced to and guided through one mans battle. It is his battle with his world, the choices he has and his internal conflict.

A work like this, with elements of deliberately unrefined energy, seeks to rouse thought by invoking feeling. I experienced genuine nausea at times a cause of which is hard to pinpoint, maybe from the Nadaud´s convulsions and physical discomfort or maybe it was from the slab of paraded raw meat. Jump directly to a strong sensation of heartfelt compassion as we sit motionless; enable to offer any assistance as we witness our protagonists´ downward spiral of frustration and disillusionment. Cut to a sense of affiliation with his troubles and sorrow at his outcome. This is a wonderful performance by a group of deeply talented artists, Day or Ire is profoundly touching.

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Fleur Alexander graduated from Exeter University in 2006 with a BA(Hons) in Drama, she has since worked with the BBC and spent last summer with the San Francisco Mime Troupe. She has a keen interest in Physical Theatre and hopes to study this in the near future.

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