CULTURE CLUB
Uncharted waters Edition Reviews: Bodies ALEX FICE TRACKS DOWN CAMBRIDGE’S QUIRKIEST SHOWS AND BRINGS YOU THE LOWDOWN
following our instincts. Scattered across the pool’s surface are various objects with which we can interact – coloured spheres that light up in the palm of your hand, floating speakers, fountains and even a floating mattress. We do as we’re told and dive into the experience. A group of around 20 adults engaging in what is, at its core, sensory play is certainly strange. Some are more open to the invitation to play than others. A few of us swim around the pool slowly, soaking in our surroundings, before allowing our inner child to surface. It does beg the question: at what point did we lose the ability to play without feeling self-conscious about it? After about ten minutes, Water invites us to agitate the flow – by kicking, splashing, jumping up and down – which results in an exhilarating, frenzied burst of energy in the pool. Then comes the calm after the storm. As the waves settle around us, we notice that the images on the screens at the side of the pool have changed, showing video footage of natural disasters such as flooding and drought. Behind the playfulness, there is a serious message at work. The installation draws to a close with a meditative session involving inflatable pillows, guided by the dulcet tones of Water until the very end. Outside, I get a chance to catch up with part of the team behind Bodies , artist/activist Ray Young and director Gail Babb. Quizzing them about the installation, I learn it has been designed without any live performers to maximise audience participation, emphasising the importance of agency when it comes to seeking climate justice. “With the climate crisis and the way the world is right now, we can’t just sit back and spectate; we’ve got to do the work ourselves,” says Ray. “ Bodies teaches you that, if you want to make the water move and create a storm, you can do it – but we have to do it together. That’s the point of the work, really. Don’t leave it up to someone else – take charge of your life.” Bodies is set to tour again late next year, and has a sister piece called Thirst Trap . Find out more by visiting rachaelyoung.org
Described as ‘a sound and performance installation that invites audiences into an indoor pool for an active, sensory experience of water, discovery and rest’, the programme blurb for Bodies leaves much to the imagination. Add that the performance utilises water ‘as a key character in our collective conversations on climate justice’ and you are left with a maelstrom of ideas just begging to be explored. So, I packed my swimming costume and made my way to Abbey Leisure Complex to experience Bodies first- hand. Upon arrival, I am greeted by reps from the Junction and asked to choose my starting point in the pool, thus determining my ‘droplet’ name (each participant represents a droplet of water from a different river around the world). We are welcomed to the poolside and told to stand by our starting positions, marked by a cork board on the floor. The tiled walls of the pool reverberate with atmospheric music that ebbs and flows in a meditative way. Opposite me, on a long, tall section of wall, an enormous projection shows the spectral image of a stream of water, twisting in a contorted, bubbling spiral. Two smaller projection screens are positioned at opposite corners of the pool, also swirling with watery imagery. A stream of greetings begins to echo round the room from an unseen source, introducing us to our guide for the performance – Water. The voice invites us to sit on the edge of the pool with our feet in, before gradually lowering ourselves. Next, Water guides the crowd through a gentle meditation, encouraging everyone to focus on the water around us, as well as inside us. Our brains are 80% water, we are reminded, and the water in our bodies is the same that has been on Earth for billions of years. Two droplets are called to swim into the middle of the pool and greet each other, before making their way down to the shallow end. The rest of us soon trickle after them, before beginning the next phase of the installation. Water invites us to explore the pool – by ourselves, or with other droplets –
CHAMBER OF SECRETS SOUND SCENE
Kettle’s Yard’s autumn Chamber Music series continues with a concert by venerated violist Stephen Upshaw and pianist Richard Uttley on 3 November, performing works by Schumann and Brahms, among others. The Marmen Quartet offer a programme of Haydn, Bartók and Beethoven on 17 November, promising to showcase the group’s vitality and vigour. Susan Tomes concludes the series on 24 November with a thoughtful and captivating concert, performing ten pieces in total – including Bach, Haydn, Ravel and Debussy. All take place in Kettle’s Yard House, giving you the chance to experience this cultural gem through fresh eyes – and ears.
14 NOVEMBER 2022 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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