Peacock Theatre
22 May 2013
By Lucy Wilson
Before it began with a hand held 'chandelier' of brass bells, all I knew about Opal Vapour was its
evocative title and that it was some kind of Javanese dance piece. It was also the
opening night of a Mobile States and Salamanca Arts Centre presentation, which
I had no hesitation attending. I relished the thought of it, as they
consistently tour diverse and explorative top and contemporary Australian work.
The core creators of this piece are Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, the
dancer, Ria Soemardjo, the musician – who both have Australian/Javanese
ancestry – and Paula Van Beek who did the lighting. It was minimal in set. It
was short (50minutes). It was sublime. And it was at times quite ordinary.
But the sublime was sublime: in a physical, metaphysical,
aesthetic, spiritual and artistic way. When the three elements of sound, dance
and light came together and moved as one we witnessed something mesmeric. It
had a quality to transport the audience to a sacred space, a primal and sensual
cocoon, to a deeply pure and female embrace.
We saw a compelling interplay between the dancer moving on a
large light box covered with sand and the projected image of her above on soft
wavering blue. We heard a layering of delicate soft and deep pink sounds.
Something was mirrored in us from the lightness and beauty of our once embryonic
existence.
While the music sustained its entrancing allure throughout
the piece, there were sections when the dance and lighting were more
traditional in form, which seemed quite two-dimensional in contrast to the
other heightened sensuality. That’s not to say there weren’t moments when familiar
stylisation of Javanese dance was breath taking, like the theatrical detail of
an exquisitely spot lit hand moving in curling and unfurling fingers.
While noting the contrast from the sublime to the not so
sublime parts of the show, I whole-heartedly urge you to see this show as the experience is
a gift. Last show is tonight (Friday 24 May) at 8pm.
