an anarchic, punk-reimagining of the classic ballet – an entirely unique theatrical experience
GISELLE: REMIX is billed as an anarchic, punk-reimagining of the classic ballet. For fans of the original, the links to its narrative will be tenuous. However, the theme of innocence lost remains, and we follow the story of a young queer person (played by Jack Sears) who soon discovers that navigating the waters of queer sex and hookups is not quite like the Hollywood rom-com fantasy they imagined.
Jack Sears and Hannah Grennell (co-creators) have drawn inspiration from dance, cabaret, stand-up, clown, lipsync, drag, pop concerts, and performance art to create GISELLE: REMIX. The piece has a cabaret style format with performance art ‘acts’, lip-syncing drag ‘acts’, and dance ‘acts’ placed side by side. All of the ‘acts’ are visually interesting, energetic, and engaging even if the narrative is not always entirely clear.
The dance is exquisite. The athleticism, precision, and charisma of the dancers is evident, and the at once playful, and moving storytelling of Hannah Grennell’s choreography is spellbinding.
As one might expect in a show that takes inspiration from the great drag traditions, the costuming by Laura Rose Moran-Morris is a highlight, and gets its own applause on several occasions. The sound design by Rhys Cook AKA Oberon White is immaculate, and each snippet, sample, and beat is cleverly weaved in with great effect.
Sears as the lead character is charismatic and engaging. With his masterful lipsyncing he is able to express a multitude of emotions, make us laugh, challenge us, or welcome us in all with a flick of an eye or a curl of his lip. He lipsyncs throughout—both singing and dialogue. The reliance on pre-recorded segments at times creates a sense of detachment from a live performance, and some of the lengthier songs and segments would have benefitted from some cuts.
I must applaud this production for incorporating so many performance elements to create an entirely unique theatrical experience. Catch it at the Pleasance Theatre (Main House) from April 10th to April 27th.