Review: IN THE BRAIN - Hofesh Shechter II, Southbank Centre
Ebbs and flows with no real purpose or evident outcome
Hofesh Shechter has been on the UK dance scene since the early noughties, and though I'm not a hardcore disciple. like most other London thespians was nearly deafened by Political Mother in 2010.
I'm tempted to say that it was this piece that made Shechter a household name of sorts when it comes to contemporary dance, yet reconnecting with his work 16 years later doesn't feel like an evolutionary experience.
Shechter, like many others, now has a junior company; Shechter II, and it's this troupe who present IN THE BRAIN. The work was originally created for the Martha Graham Company in 2022, and began as the brainchild of dancer Daniil Simkin, who wanted to bring “the techno club scene to a new level, finding a way to integrate choreographed movement into a Rave style event”.
Sounds good on paper, but I'm afraid I wasn't sold by the practical experience. All respect to the eight dancers who seemed fully invested, but I left with the larger feeling that going to an actual rave is probably far more interesting than watching a performative one at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Image credit: Todd MacDonald
A lot of present-day makers seem obsessed with this subject matter, but few, if any, are transcending in my honest opinion. Most rely on dark, atmospheric lighting and dancers behaving on the verge of losing it. Both of these components don't hold my attention for long.
Anyone familiar with Shechter’s canon will recognise the language; laboured walking, grounded suspension, endless undulations etc, but the whole just didn't take me anywhere of note. Whether periods of unison or momentary dance-offs, my emotional state barely shifted at all. And periods of elongated repetition verged on the torturous. It ended up feeling like a very long 60 minutes.
Shechter is also responsible for the music, which equally didn't move me. From the beginning aquatic sounds to some pretty convincing drum and bass, we, or rather I watched and listened and went nowhere fast.
I suppose the biggest issue was the structure. I don't need literal build, but some form of trajectory can help. IN THE BRAIN seemed to ebb and flow with no real purpose or evident outcome. A good night out has many different acts, and a certain level of drama to keep the mind engaged. This Shechter experience didn't come close.
Shechter II: IN THE BRAIN runs at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre until 25 July
Image credits: Todd MacDonald
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