Experimental success at ‘Systems/Layers’ world premiere
Grade: B+
The best advice you may ever receive is this:
Travel.
The experiences you can gain in any country far outweigh the paltry cost of a plain ticket and hotel room. But a word of caution – though visiting India may be an extremely educational experience, not everyone likes curry.
Fortunately, I do.
At the world premiere of “Systems/Layers,” it soon became apparent that, just like curry, the production wasn’t going to be embraced, or even understood, by everyone.
The collaborative work of Rachel’s, a musical sextet, and the Saratoga International Theater Institute (SITI Company) have created an intriguing blend of dance, music, movement and multimedia to portray the experiences of eight individuals living in a large urban center – in this case, New York.
The most unique aspect of the production might have been the sparsity of words. “I was thinking about it again the other day,” a phrase used at least six times during the course of the show, remains openly ambiguous with nary an explanation for its inclusion to be found.
Except as it is interpreted by the audience.
The openness for interpretation, a refreshing philosophy, left members of the audience unsure of how to feel during various portions of the show. At moments, some laughed while others looked on befuddled.
The Suzuki method, a theater philosophy that includes heavy emphasis on controlling body movement, was utilized by the eight performers to conjure the image of various parts of city life and the individuals search for peace and meaning in it.
One particularly convincing scene was the portrayal of waiting for a subway train to come. The tedium of waiting for the train, the awkwardness of interacting with fellow passengers and the confusion upon arrival in a bustling city were all expertly acted without a solitary word.
The scene was so convincing in fact, that at one point I was caught up in the tension enough to begin moving, unsettled, in my make-shift seat.
Upon arrival in the city, the bustling crowds rush and pause among each other and the eight characters, nameless throughout, with shifting identifies, move about the city.
Another scene that was rather effective involved the romantic relationships of the characters, inducing movement that were predominantly inoffensive, but explicitly sexual, involving both same and different genders. At various moments, characters would shift from partner to partner.
While I have my own ideas for the inclusion of certain scenes and the significance of certain movements, they aren’t necessarily correct.
The beauty of this type of work is its ability to allow the audience to take it anywhere their own personal experiences have prepared them to go. What is poignant and somber to one person may be simply confusing or tedious to another.
Heavy on repetition, various sequences of movements where included up to a half-dozen times, forcing the audience to think deeper and deeper – or simply fall asleep.
The music was fantastic – professionally executed and moving. The performers all hit at the top talent of a very competitive field, and the work itself was, in a phrase, thought provoking.
Friday night is sold out and tickets for Saturday are going fast. Get them while you can. Procrastination sent me to the entryway floor for my viewing.
But just like a well cooked curry, it was worth it.
Matt Wright is a junior majoring in English, comments can be sent to mattgo@cc.usu.edu.