Review: Hudson's 'Glimpse'
"Catch Another Glimpse," written and directed by John Hudson, at the Great Hall of the Arts Centre, September 28 to October 8 at 8 p.m. Running time: one hour and five minutes. Reviewed by Lindsay Clark.
Even in spring the world can go a little dull. Emerging from an hour closeted in a muslin womb with John Hudson's concept of a fertility ritual ("simple in form and strong on symbolism," to quote the programme) swirling all around, one experiences at least a temporary sense of anti-climax. When stars have actually fallen through the ceiling to embellish one's neighbours in the audience, the real ones seem a little stand-offish.
Those who caught the earlier glimpse of John Hudson's work in the same venue would not have been surprised by either the material or the effects on which it relied so heavily for impact. A celebration of air, earth, fire, water, the cycle of life, and the primitive power of woman were presented in a looks sequence of chant, dance and projected images, but the experience began for the audience as it was guided, blindfold, from the outside world through a maze of sensations to the tent in the centre of the hall around which the performance flowed.
The cast of 12, supported by especially dynamic live music written by Felicity Williams, worked with confidence and had some strong moments. The solo and duet performances held less impact with the exception of Caroline Stacey's Crone's speech, intense and inescapable. "A glimpse of life as an end in itself" neatly summarised the spirit of the evening.
Although the voices and visual arrangements were variable in their effectiveness some movement sequences were instantly stunning. The hugely grotesque mother earth, a composite figure filling the stage undulating through the birth process, will not easily be forgotten. Movement was the key to most successful sequences as the static projected images rapidly lost the urgency and excitement of their initial impact.
Such moments of fresh awareness were all the more welcome since the intense seriousness with which the material was approached weighed a little ponderously on the spirit of regeneration and life around which it was framed, The enterprise and energy of both cast and production team were largely successful in freeing it up.