Sorcha Kenny is an artist that practically pulses with energy and drive of a true creator. Her latest show Dolls opened in Fringe on Thursday. Five women all wearing dainty red plimsolls, complete with girlie red bows, were set in position, each flopped upon a wooden box as discarded dolls waiting for her owner to return and pick them up for magical music to bring them to life.
The latter happened. Magical music with a hint of darkness filled the room and the girls began to pulse, breathe, writhe and move. Slowly, slowly, as trapped ballerinas in a jewellery box running to the end of its wound up coil, the five dancers began to awaken the many female creatures deep within.
All dressed very differently, strikingly differently, but all could be described as girlie. Some had pretty little skirts and cute tops, one wore a bronzed skin tight bodice and blue trousers, and another had a sharp cut 80’s blouse. All individuals: all very feminine.
The actors rarely speak, allowing the music and their movement to make statements and raise points. Strong poignant points about femininity, about the masculine perspective, about expectations from both sides. It is never preachy, merely explorative. This is not a piece that vilifies men and celebrates women. It is a piece that looks at childhood, beauty, obsession and the possible roads abuse or external pressure could lead us too.
Layered with voice over’s from various interviews the performers lip sync and become the characters we are hearing. An 8 year old northern Lass in a beauty pageant, an American teen also hoping to be selected as a beauty queen winner. Then we return to the beautiful performance of mere movement, the 5 overlap each other taking on shapes, characters, physicality’s, archetypes, moving sometimes like clockwork, robotic, disgusting, soul less dolls and other times as living breathing people, girls, women, souls.
The use of space is inventive and the cast’s commitment to the piece is mesmerising. At one point 4 girls are standing, leaning on a wall sucking pink lollipops, suggestive and alluring. All the while a 5th doll is slumped, heaped on the floor. Objectified, stared at, abandoned.
This piece cannot be called a dance piece and yet it is. It cannot be called a typical play but it does contain empathy, storytelling and catharsis. The 5 dolls will remind you of your family, friends, perhaps yourself and they will make you reconsider the female role.
