“A visually powerful performance challenging people’s perceptions.”
From Dan Daw Creative Projects, comes Exxy, a bold production of how to live in a society that has barriers to keep you out.
This visually impressive performance was largely sold out, on a Tuesday evening. The staging was well thought out-a reflective floor surface and a wooden panelled back wall used for projecting footage of the outback and of the performers with occasional strobe lighting, which complimented the movement. This paired down staging really allowed the performers to have space to move and the focus was on them. Equally the costume was clever, the performers were dressed in grey but the clothing was not the same for everyone-reflecting how we can all look similar when we are together but be different. With inclusivity in mind, the performance was captioned and was a relaxed performance, whereby you could come and go as you please, making the show accessible for any and everyone.
Told through movement and spoken word, which was often humorous, Exxy is a performative piece that looks to challenge perceptions on disability and how not all disabilities are obvious and what that means for the individual trying to survive in a society that hasn’t been built with them in mind. A moment reflecting this was a performer who had cerebral palsy but wasn’t obvious and with people’s perceptions, it seemed easily to say it was a sports injury. It also is challenging people’s perception on disability and the belief that it is used as an excuse to get out of obligations/responsibilities when it is not apparent. This unempathetic mindset that society does seem to have was reflected towards the end where the four performers seemingly pushed themselves far beyond what they were physically able to do in order to function in an abled society. A rather uncomfortable and powerful moment.
What is interesting about this performance is that it is thought provoking and almost activist-even if we are different, we still feel emotions, still have dreams and want to be accepted and loved for who we are. It confronts the realities of living outside of the box and the impact of living in an uncaring society has. This piece also in some ways, taps into the ideal of “the survival of the fittest” and how those who are different, ultimately get left behind in various ways. But it also taps into the social construct of sticking together and how communities are building themselves into more accepting ones and helping people find somewhere where they belong.