Mute Comp Physical Theatre presents a raw and palpable performance inspired by Japanese legendary samurai warrior Miyamoto Musachi and his work The Book of Five Rings.
The artist and swordsman’s teachings have inspired philosophers and laymen alike, and now his writings act as the stimulus for Danish choreographer Kasper Ravnhøj and his dance troupe.
Philosophical life-mantras like “think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world” and “do nothing that is of no use” arouse a frenzied and figurative performance led by the award-winning Ravnhøj.
The experienced choreographer, who was previously involved in the Red Room’s Reumert-winning Metamorphoses at the Danish Royal Theatre, combines text and dance with the physicality of performance for this hard-hitting production.
Ravnhøj usually doesn’t shy away from addressing contemporary themes in his pieces, paying particular focus to the reality of modern living – a previous production Illegal Trilogy centred around trafficking and drug abuse.
Tough subject matter is coupled with complex and challenging physical performances from the dancers, who are pushed to their very physical limitations. Their Facebook page boasts how the troupe “work on the edge of the possible”.
The deliberate casting of musicians and performers with varying training backgrounds and nationalities ensures that these dancers’ differences give the production a distinctive multi-faceted feel.
