Movement, music, memory and a whole lot of fabric!
The Warp and the Weft deftly weaves together different stories about fabric into a performance that is thought-provoking and poignant. This show will make you consider the clothes on our backs in a whole new light. If you like a show which gives you something to discuss afterwards, this is the show for you!
The performance takes place in a small, intimate black box space, with the audience seated in the round, facing hanging threads and with fabric scraps at their feet. Four performers enter the space, following an audio piece which sets the thesis of the show up, allowing the audience to understand it’s namesake. The performers then take the audience on a journey through seven stories that all present a different relationship to fabric.
We begin with the Minerva and Aracne Roman myth, which shows a competitive side to making fabric, and the performers use high-energy movements and narration to present the story to the audience. It’s well acted, but unfortunately, this is probably the weakest story in the oeuvre as to those not familiar with the myth, it would be challenging to keep up with. This is a shame, as it starts the audience on the backfoot. It feels slightly out of place as a myth when the other six stories are true, and through skits, dance, acting and movement, they take us through history. The World Wars, the Aids crisis, the suffragette movement to name a few. These movements ask the audience questions – what clothing would you save if you had to flee? What clothing would remind you of a loved one? When is what we wear an act of protest?
This is where the piece feels strongest, in these real human stories, told skilfully through movement. The four performers use their bodies to portray a range of emotions, and they flow together, making the movement feel as one. There are flashes of comedy in certain skits, which brings a welcome note of levity to the performance, and helps to steady the more melancholic themes.
The piece really finds its stride in the final half hour, and the simple staging and use of props really helps to foster a feeling of intimacy between the audience and the stories. By the end of the performance, it feels as though you have seen a rich tapestry created before your eyes.
The direction of Izzy Ponsford cannot be understated, it is truly a rare thing to find a show that demands so much important conversation after viewing.