This was an experimental piece of modern theatre from Daniel Somerville incorporating, sound, dance, music, and some other bits and bobs (and a particularly filthy pair of pants).

The three pieces were called ‘I’m Leaving You, First Piano Concerto and My Egypt Stories.’

It was delightful, primitive in a very raw and visceral way. The performers whited out features just added to his haunting stare.  Like a dying wolf he stared out at us and then took us on a slow and torturous journey into his own psyche. 

There were touches of Pina Bausch about it in parts. The slow reproductions of agony and despair, going round and round until futility become the point.

It wasn’t an easy piece to watch, Sommerville stripping himself physically and psychologically until he’s naked, open and vulnerable on the stage.  It’s full of suppressed rage and repressed emotion and I found it quite an angry piece and that left me feeling sad at the end of it. Often grotesque, twisted, dark and perverse this dance then became more ethereal and floating, ever reaching to the light. These works are certainly part of the Butoh tradition.

The three works all fitted together very well and there was a nice intimate feel to the show with Sommerville talking quietly about the pieces in-between movements. 

My favourite piece was ‘My Egypt Stories’ which was again startling and intense and also had the oddest rendition of a Handel Aria I have yet heard. Here Somerville was in his element and for a moment I felt I was watching Jeff Buckley. His pained, sad fathomless eyes combined with the falsetto melancholy of Cleopatra’s Death Aria collapsing into almost epileptically strong spasms and floor length shudders made this into a piece of vivid, challenging and refreshing experimental theatre. The darkness in this piece referring to what was unknown, either within himself or in his surroundings, sexual awakenings and tyranny. Top marks.

The shows felt like something you would see in an experimental Berlin or Amsterdam studio and when we left blinking into the night it felt surreal to still be in Hollingdean. 

This fringe venue was a wonderful find. It’s in an old coachworks garage turned into performance space and artists' studios.  They had a lovely bar and reading library, the space is light and friendly and they had the most comfortable chairs I have yet sat in in any venue ever! It’s all delightful shabby and sustainable and provides year round experimental, unusual productions. Get in touch with them via their website; I’d suggest this is a venue to watch!


Coachworks info here: www.coachwerks.org.uk/search/label/Home