Over the Rainbow?

Monday night was one of the brightest of the year, causing problems for Rex Levitates Dance Company during Diversions Temple …

Monday night was one of the brightest of the year, causing problems for Rex Levitates Dance Company during Diversions Temple Bar Live on the Square. For Paul Keogan's lighting design is a major contribution to the 20-minute site-specific dance piece, performed mainly in the windows of the Gallery of Photography, and its full effect could only be experienced at the 10.30p.m. showing. The seven colours of the rainbow, which reflect the moods of the three characters through hope, fear, passion, envy and despair, are indicated as much by the wonderful lighting as by Sinead Cuthbert's changing costumes and Liz Roche's choreography.

More moving tableaux vivants and mime than dance, the choreography introduces Ella Clarke, Grant McLay and Rionach Ni Neill as masked and coated figures marching around Meeting House Square among the seated and standing audience. They enter the gallery by a glass door, subsequently appearing in the upper window, divided into two performing areas by split curtains - though, in the penultimate scene, it is used as a single space, permitting the only real dancing of the night. They also make use of the smaller lower windows - most effectively when one character reacts to the sound of violent love-making taking place above her head.

Denis Roche's music covers all the varying moods, simulating howling winds, bird song and prolonged heavy breathing to suit the action and cover the intervals between scenes, the former sometimes being long enough to suggest the piece may have ended. And it would be a good idea to clean the windows, since the full lighting reveals several tell-tale smears.

Runs twice-nightly until Friday at 10p.m. and 10.30p.m.

READ MORE

Admission free, but booking in advance at 18 Eustace Street, tel. 01-6715717/01-6772255