Eowynn and Isak Enquist tell a story of attachment and interdependence through a mixture of contemporary dance and corde lisse.
Accompanied by a soundtrack that conjures images of creaking boards and beating rain, the Enquists rock back and forth in the bowels of a tilting ship. Adding to the maritime setdressing, a number of looped ropes hang from the rafters and sway across the foggy stage.
The show starts with both performers tied together, slowly tangling each other up, eventually meeting in the middle. The two twist and writhe together, each performer seemingly trying to escape the other’s grasp whilst simultaneously unable to support their own weight independently.
The theme of symbiosis is ever present in Imago and reaches its peak mid-way through the show as the two climb the ropes, continually falling and catching one another as their shared tether is winched higher and higher. At points, Eowynn dangles free from the rope using only Isak’s body to support herself mid-air. At others, the two are separate, with one spiralling in the air and the other struggling to stay upright under a layer of artificial fog.
The show imposes ideas and themes upon its audience effectively but stops there, failing to offer enough substance to retain engagement in the show’s story. Imago is an incredibly impressive feat of acrobatics, staging, and sound design, held back only by its slightly uninspiring and loose narrative.
Imago, Assembly Roxy, until Aug 24 (not 11, 18), 1pm