Inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story The Yellow Wallpaper, this ‘dance thriller’ adaptation combines the traditional sensibilities of a straight play with contemporary dance and experimental soundscapes. Set in the Gilded Age of America, the protagonist is brought to a grand estate for the summer, confined to a room where she is prescribed ‘rest cure’ to treat her ‘female hysteria and nervousness’.
Performed by an ensemble of six, its three principle roles (the unnamed lead, her controlling doctor husband and his menacing sister) are accompanied by a trio of phantom-like dancers who come alive with our narrator’s increased solitude-induced mania. Their constant presence on stage, punctuated by frenetic movements and intense stares, provide a sinister hum in the background of all the action, like the indistinguishable but bone-chilling score of a horror film. While the expertly executed choreography is the show’s most interesting creative choice, the acted portions are delivered beautifully too, with our principal navigating a complex emotional journey with impressive restraint and power. Distorted bass sounds and electronic synths feature prominently in the soundtrack, adding to the jarring juxtaposition between the period costume and dialogue with modern sonic and physical languages. It’s this contemporary twist that successfully makes Perkins Gilman’s haunting tale from 1892 resonate in the present day.
The Yellow Wallpaper, Greenside @ George Street, until 29 Aug (not 16, 23), 4.05pm