NEW YORK—Combining breathtaking acrobatics with bewitching sensuality, a bit of the risqué, and some humor to leaven it all out, the world premiere of “Désir” casts an enjoyable spell as part of Spiegelworld 2008. The event takes place in a huge tent, giving the event a sort of intimate carnival atmosphere, and is one of two pieces in this year’s Spiegelworld (“Absinthe” being the other).
This is a world where maharajas sit on divans, watching players perform for their pleasure; where women can be both people of power and objects of desire—all moving with grace, strength, and submission; and where elements of Bollywood and an air of bawdy entertainment meet and mingle. Helping to add a cabaret feel is the chanteuse-style singing of Maria Victoria Di Pace, warbling English tunes with a French accent.
Things get off to a splashy start with a pair of showgirls (Marieve Hemond, Genevieve Morin) attired in elaborate headgear (seemingly out of the Follies). They help put the audience in the mood to be entertained and impressed—a task accomplished thanks to some strong aerial gymnastics by Annie-Kim Dehry, working on a large hoop suspended above the stage.
Also quite interesting was performer Olaf Triebel doing some impressive balancing acts and contortions. This premise was expanded later on when several men formed a sort of human ladder, with each using the others’ bodies to climb up and leap off one another.
Another enjoyable piece featured a woman (Marawa Ibrahim) twirling an ever-increasing number of hula hoops around her body, helped along by a little audience participation.
Just as involving are the more sensual moments, such as a “butterfly dance” where the Angel of Death (Raphaelle Boitel) glides around the stage. Another is when a cat “transforms” into a very slinky woman, leading to a comically violent confrontation between the two-legged feline, a very interested male, and his rather unhappy woman companion.
Abandoning sensuality for a lighter touch (albeit with a skill all their own) were two performers doing a clownish take on various acrobatic works—such as having one person suspended from the ceiling by a rope while his partner “supports” him—played in all seriousness for the audience, thus making it hysterically funny.
Definitely the most breathtaking event of the evening is an aerial duet in which Hemond and Dehry perform flips and turns while sailing through the air on a gigantic suspended square. Showing some death-defying demonstrations (for example, holding themselves up by their ankles), they make all their moves look graceful and sleek while keeping the tension factor quite high.
The entire evening is helped immeasurably by the strong choreography of the different segments, with each flowing seamlessly from one to the next.
Costumes are quite nice, as are various musical pieces used. Not recommended for those under 18 years of age, “ Désir ” is quite interesting, sensual, and involving for all above that mark.
Also featured are Nikolay Titov, Nikolay Shaposhnikov, Anton Smirnov, Evgeny Belyaev, Antoine Auger, and Marco Noury.
Désir
Spiegelworld 2008
South Street Seaport, Pier 17
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.Spiegelworld.com
Running Times: Approximately 1 Hour, 40 Minutes
Closes: November 2, 2008
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication, The Stage.
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