Review > Me (Mobile/Evolution)
AT THE age of 14, Claire Cunningham fell off her bike and ended up on crutches. She was told she would have them for six weeks, but 18 years later the crutches are still there. Only these days, she’s a lot more adept at manoeuvring herself around on them.
Both Mobile and Evolution chart Cunningham’s relationship with her body, and the equipment that helps her get from A to B. A trained singer, she moved into the world of dance and aerial movement four years ago, hoping to explore exactly what she was capable of, despite suffering from osteoporosis. And if this double-bill is anything to go by, the answer is a great deal.
As we enter the theatre, the stage is strewn with crutches, lying motionless on the floor. By the time the first piece ends, many of them have been fastened together and hung from the ceiling, creating a mesmerisingly beautiful mobile. In the process of creating it, Cunningham picks her way through the sea of metal and plastic, lifting each crutch in the most unusual way possible. Backed by Matthias Herrmann’s gentle score, she talks us through the various different crutches she has procured over the years, and their respective shortcomings. For the layperson, it’s a fascinating eye-opener to the challenges faced by those not able to walk unaided.
Evolution continues the theme but takes us even deeper into Cunningham’s personal life. Dressed in a black tutu, Cunningham tells us about her infancy, that fateful bike ride and the remarkable effect dance has had on her body. Her love of movement is palpable and communicated in no uncertain terms to the audience. The closing scene, where Cunningham emulates Gene Kelly’s famous routine from Singin’ in the Rain, is one of the most joyous and moving things I’ve ever seen. She does it her way, not his, and when Kelly sings “there’s a smile on my face”, and Cunningham beams with happiness, it’s impossible not to join in.
