But can she dance?
Well Juliette Binoche is not Sylvie Guillem (Akran Khan's last partner in Paris) but “In-I” is an entertaining evening about the relationship roller coaster at the Marigny through the 18th of October.
First shown in Paris at the Théâtre de la Ville last November, In-I is dance where words are allowed and theatre that is danced. Akram Khan, the extra-ordinary English dancer of Bengali origin and Juliette Binoche, the Oscar winning French actress, take us on a journey through the good, the bad and the ugly between a man and a woman. The piece begins with a bare stage, two chairs and a large red back drop that changes with the music as we move from Ms. Binoche’s reminiscing on a childhood crush at a movie theatre to the moment of truth: girl spots boy, girl stalks boy, girl finally gets boy (after some power playing) and then they wake up and don’t necessarily live happily ever after.
Several very funny and sensual scenes in particular the new couple trying to find the right position to be able to sleep in the same bed, and the morning after when mundane reality (seat up? seat down?) hits home.
Dancing with Khan is a challenge. The pace is fast, the movements difficult. Quite quickly the lack of training shows in the way Binoche holds herself especially in contrast to Khan’s majestic posture and movement. But Binoche holds her own when she does what she knows how to do. Her monologue while velcroed to a wall is strong – both moving and humorous. What we do miss though are the fire work jumps and turns that Akram Khan showed us in Sacred Monsters. Maybe in order not to upstage his partner, Khan’s role is more as that of a support for Binoche than the other way around and we miss his passionate work.
The lighting/sets by Michael Hulls and Anish Kapoor are simple but wonderful as is the variety of Philip Sheppard music which spans different eras and styles
Gail
© Etat-critique.com - 12/10/2009
