DV8 Physical Theatre - To Be Straight with You

Our Review:

30 October 2008

This powerful new piece from Lloyd Newson and his DV8 physical theatre company – seven male, two female – combines verbatim documentary with stunning movement and a rich mix of visual and video techniques. The effect, though, is cumulative rather than evolving: in a series of tableaux, stories and testimonies, the lack of a governing narrative line takes its toll.

Still, To Be Straight With You never feels less than white hot, topical and urgently felt. Having set up an opening blast of homophobic dance hall vaporising – boogie on down with bigotry – we are hit with a battery of information in between the cool moves and ingenious cartoon tracery of light and colour.

Many Eastern European countries, including Russia, are resistant to sexual equality. Eighty-five countries, many of them former UK colonies, criminalise homosexuality. Jamaican gay bashing, as revealed on home movie footage, is horrifyingly constant. And moving the polemics of Peter Tatchell ...

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Latest User Review

Gareth James - 22 November 2008:

Not the best DV8 work, but an important subject handled well with some terrific moments. I'd like to have seen movement / dance used as much as they usually do....

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