AcousticaElectronica, presented by toUch
Directed by Marissa Roberts; Music Direction: Colin Thurmond;Choreography: Elizabeth
McGuire. Presented by toUch. Appearing Monthly at Oberon, 2 Arrow St.,
Cambridge. Next show October 3.
If you haven’t been to a show at Oberon, put on
your dancing shoes and go now! AcousticaElectronica was one of the most
entertaining and exciting evenings of theater I’ve ever seen. Like most shows
at Oberon, this one is not your typical night of theater. It’s more like a
dance club/performance art/ballet/opera/cirque mashup.
The crowd in line for the show was young and
casual, with more sneakers and sandals than high-heels. As is typical of the
young crowds around here, the ladies were dressed better than the gentlemen,
with dresses and nice outfits on the former, and schlubby t-shirts and jeans
for the latter. Once they were let into Oberon, they were three deep at the bar
until the show began.
The venue itself is a clubby atmosphere. It’s
mainly all standing room for the audience, with the exception of 3 banquets and
a few cafe tables on the mezzanine, all the better for dancing to the awesome
club music which infuses the whole show. The plot of the show is minimal and
centers around a battle between the good and evil forces which pull on the soul
of the Conductor. None of the characters in the play are described by name, so
it is left to the audience to put the pieces together and figure out who
everyone is. Projections before and during the show provide some clues in the
form of text that describes the various characters and their characteristics. There are twelve cast members who appear throughout the show and perform all
over the venue.
The show includes a wide variety of different
performance styles. There is an amazing opera aria performed by the character
of Carmen (played by Julia Partyka), that is a neon dance battle performed in
the dark; aerial acts that take place above and around the audience, ballet,
live guitar and saxophone performances, modern dance by three clone-like
dancers, characters on stilts, and that’s just the first act! The whole cast is
great and really create a unique atmosphere. Standouts include Ali Castro as
the commedia dell’arte character, Pierrot, who is a bundle of energy that gets
the whole audience dancing and clapping and jumping along with the show;
Brittany Testone as the ballerina, who is a beautiful dancer; Elizabeth McGuire,
who embodies spookiness as the evil Black Moth; and Colin Thurmond as the
Conductor who runs the show and battles his inner and outer demons throughout.
The show is in two acts, with a short
intermission during which the dance music continues and the patrons pack the
bar. There is even a flight of specialty themed cocktails available that are
served at specific parts of the show. Another great thing about this show is
that it serves as the warm-up for internationally known EDM deejays who take
the stage immediately after and keep the party going until 2 AM! This is
included in the price of your ticket to AcousticaElectronica, an amazing
evening of entertainment that you won’t soon forget. For more info, go to: http://www.touchperformanceart.com/
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