One never really knows these days, what with trendy concepts of ‘blurring boundaries’ between ‘play’ and ‘reality’, how much of a risk it is to attend an event entitled Human Sacrifice Ritual, an award winning piece of physical theater from Artus – Gábor Goda Company, the result of a residency in the Mexican jungle. I took the risk feeling slightly apprehensive, but full of expectations of something deeply meditative.
We take our seats in front of what turns out to be a magic stage, covered with little holes and trap doors that yield anything from small objects to people. Up to five performers tread this tiny space, each with their different tasks.
Live percussion accompanies the action, but apart from this the piece is quiet, sometimes silent, and the pace is calm. The serene ambience makes this quite a mystical experience, as we focus on the performers’ playful series of games and rituals.
Somehow, in spite of the magic stage, the wonderful sounds, the ritualistic and homely images, there was something missing in the atmosphere. I put it down to the costumes and lighting. The clothes were essentially work wear, and the lighting bland. I must admit, these were directorial decisions I failed to understand and gave the piece a ‘work-in-progress’ feeling, preventing an ambience of ritual and meditation from really coming through.
The blurb for Stele reads; “There are two kinds of time: the now and the not-now”. For me, this piece was about ‘the now’. It was a ‘now’ full of wonder and excitement. But ‘now’ is a subject which, because of its fleeting nature, needs all the tools it can find to make a powerful impression.
Artus Contemporary Arts Studio
1117, Budapest, Sztregova utca 7.
www.artus.hu