Scene It: The energy at the Rosebank Theatre is practically PULPable!

It all started with a red briefcase…

and led to one of the most amazing and breathtakingly exquisite dance theatre experiences I have seen in a very long time. The energy at the Rosebank Theatre is practically PULPable thanks to the latest Underground Dance Theatre production.

Mystery and intrigue meets seductive movement and quirky escapades in PULP, a theatrical nod to the film noir genre, all presented in a dream like fashion, moving between tension and dark comedy with the ease of every pointed toe and slinky arm gesture.

The smart, simplistic set design, gives the production the required cinematographic film feel that sets the mood and scene for the fatalism that hangs in the air from the moment you enter the theatre… but what is the source of the menace at play? Who will the detective (Steven van Wyk) side with, because what is a film noir throwback without a leading sleuth!? Which one of the sisters (Thalia Laric and Cilna Katzke) is truly the femme fatale and which the doomed heroine?

After seeing Steven van Wyk on stage again (following his recent tour as part of the Singin’ in the Rain cast), I am now more convinced than ever that he is South Africa’s answer to Gene Kelly! The perfect balance between dancing precision and acting, he definitely draws the attention when he takes to the stage. But don’t get me wrong, Thalia Laric and Cilna Katzke, are dancing enchantresses in their own right too, becoming their characters with every sultry turn they take. The talent of all three is beautifully showcased through the amazing collaborative choreography of Kristina Johnstone, Latric and Van Wyk.

As the dancers swoop across the intimate stage, with the same ease of performers who have an opera house of movement space, they lead you down the thrilling path of the PULP story-line, with the aid of narrator Richard Wright-Firth who adds just the right touch of 1950s movie flair needed to build suspense and hook you on the intrigue of it all.

This production is next level amazing. If it was a real movie I would buy it to watch over and over again. What a delight to see ‘dialogue’ come to life through movement and ‘voices’ echo in the silences between.

The Underground Dance Theatre group describe themselves as a collective of artists exploring new progressive styles of physical theatre. If this is their standard, I am hooked and I will never miss one of their shows again. An inspired, dark comedy, dance infused suspense 'thriller', PULP at the Rosebank Theatre is a must for your theatre diary! Book via Webtickets to see it by 16 July at the Rosebank Theatre.

Thereafter PULP heads on over to the Galloway Theatre at the Waterfront Theatre School for a limited run from 20 to 23 July. Book online, and don't miss out!