Words: Alex Grunberg

3 Stars

Two performers interact and intertwine through deliberate movement and winding props in “Tethered.” The piece feels like a living work of modern art that brings the audience into the construction. The performers wind wires and threads into their unusual creations through choreography and audience participation. It would not be out of place in an exhibition room at the MoMA or Tate Modern. 

“Tethered” is a quiet and deliberate performance that takes its time and challenges the viewer to meet the discomfort and confusion. A few of the creations and pauses are a little prolonged and some audience members may struggle with some of the slower transitions. That being said, it is an admirably thoughtful experiment in movement and space that is very sure in what it is. An idea is constructed in the black box theatre through a balance of the wires, performers, music, and metaphorically rich lighting. 

The narrative frame tying together the movements sits in the philosophical science fiction genre of “The Employees” by Olga Ravn and “The Factory” by Hiroko Oyamada. The characters are caught together while floating in the void of memory, trapped in cycles of interaction and productivity without the catharsis of communication. It is a purposeful and unconventional disorientation for audiences looking for a deliberately artful Fringe experience. 

Tethered
Venue 45 at theSpace @ Venue 45
11:10
18 August – 23 August