Phantasmaphile

Twitchers

Last night at East Williamsburg's diamond in the rough space House of Yes, I saw an absolutely enthralling and fanciful performance by my favorite theatrical dance company, Desert Sin.  They have joined forces with Lady Circus and The Mystery Bird Puppet Show to create "Twitchers," a stunning evening of performances about birds and flying, and I truly cannot recommend it highly enough.  Each piece is incredibly inventive, the performers have grace and skill in spades, and the costumes are an exquisite riot of glitter, lace, and - of course - feathers.  It is awe inspiring to see the imagination and talent that has gone into the show, especially in light of the fact that they are all relatively young troupes with presumably limited resources.  I sat there the entire time breathless, my jaw agape, and feeling that pure childlike wonder that is too often a rarity these days.  It's difficult for me to choose my favorite part, as there was so much variety and beauty throughout the night, but I will say I was entirely unprepared to feel not only delighted but totally moved by one piece in particular about a deer and a vulture - and that's all I'll say about that.  Anyway, get yourself tickets NOW, this is not to be missed.  And here are more details:

Twitchers…

A tour of birds, dreams, and women who take flight…

A theatrical immersion of dance, puppetry, aerial, live music, spectacle, and pure emotion.

The Desert Sin Dance Company, known internationally for their edgy and sensational fusion of dance is one of the most experimental, cutting-edge theatrical dance companies in North America.

Desert Sin will be teaming up with Mystery Bird Puppet Theater, Lady Circus, and The House of Yes Theater to create a Brooklyn bird-watching experience of a lifetime!

October 1,2,3 and 8,9,10

Doors open at 8pm, the show starts at 9pm:

Tickets:

$15 presale @ www.desertsin.com
$20 at the door

You will be in for a unique and totally unforgettable evening.  Trust me on this one.

Martha Clarke's Garden of Earthly Delights

Last night I had one of the most memorable, awe-striking theatre experiences of my life.  Martha Clarke's Garden of Earthly Delights is a dance/aerial piece based on Hieronymus Bosch's legendary triptych.  I don't even want to say too much about it, because the visuals, choreography, and live music are so surprising and inventive, and frankly, a bit difficult to put into words.  I will say it is a living phantasmagoria that is NOT TO BE MISSED.  It is minimalist and decadent at once, intense and sublime, with undulating shapes and mesmerising stage pictures that sink deep into the psyche.  (Also, it could be a great Valentine's date, provided you and your beloved like your sensuality accented with a bit of the grotesque.)  It's up at the Minetta Lane Theater through March 1st.  I truly cannot recommend this enough, GO SEE IT.

Desert Sin show!

I have written about the dark and beauteous burlesque troupe, Desert Sin, before.  Their show, Musée des Femmes: Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, has been brought back by popular demand to the Zipper Factory.  Information is as follows:

Desert Sin Dance Company presents:
"Musée des Femmes - Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque"
Thursdays, November 20th and December 18th at 8pm at the Zipper Factory Theater and Tavern
336 W. 37th St. NY, NY 10018
Tickets $20:  (212) 352-3101 or available at www.thezipperfactory.com
Produced by Djahari Clark and Cassandra Siegler, in association with The Zipper Factory Theater
Directed by Djahari Clark

Desert Sin Dance Company, known internationally for their edgy and erotic fusion of dance and theater, now comes to New York with their acclaimed production, "Musée des Femmes - Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque".  This sideshow-stylized psychological spectacle is an imaginative journey through sight-and-sound and is guaranteed to mesmerize the audience!  The unique story line lends an emotional and
human twist to stories of some of the boldest and most intriguing women throughout time, both fictional and historical, including legendary film starlet Mata Hari, The Hindu Goddess Kali, The Snow Queen, and Joan of Arc.

Do go see it - it is gorgeous, disturbing, and really sexy.

Desert Sin

So.  You're interested in the exploding burlesque and belly dancing scene, but you're not sure which act to catch.  Might I recommend the fantastical alternative troupe, Desert Sin?  They interpret myths, fairy tales, and powerful female archetypes through sexy dances and elaborate, shimmering costumes.  I was introduced to them via their enchanting Mermaid Dance, which they performed at the Dances of Vice Festival this past winter.  New Yorkers can see them at the next incarnation of the festival (more on that soon), or by getting tickets to their full-length show, Musée des Femmes: Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque at The Zipper Factory on July 8th or August 12th.

When Is a Clock

"When Is a Clock" is a new play by the very brilliant trailblazer (and keeper of my heart), Matthew Freeman.  It is being billed as "a surrealistic detective story," but I would add that it has moments of outlandish humor, as well as incredible poignance.  Freeman's script is lyrical and bursting with strange beauty, director Kyle Ancowitz is a true visionary, and the actors are some of the finest you will see in New York.  I don't want to give anything else away, so you simply must come and see it yourself.  The show is up at Blue Coyote's Access Theater through May 10th.  Tickets are $18, though preview performances (April 15th-17th) are discounted to $12.  Get em while they're hot (and still available).

Blue Coyote Theater Group presents

When Is A Clock
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 through Saturday, May 10, 2008
8:00pm

A surrealistic detective story from Matthew Freeman.

Length: 1 hr 45 mins
Intermission: None
Seating: General Admission

When Gordon's wife vanishes, the only clue to her whereabouts is a dog-eared copy of an odd book. Pursued by the police as a potential homicide suspect and perpetually nagged by his smart-ass teenage son, Gordon takes off to a strange Pennsylvania town to search for his missing wife. At turns both scathingly funny and disturbingly compelling, When Is A Clock features Freeman's celebrated deconstruction of American culture - which has been called "nonviolent, though as savage as any slasher film" by the NY Times.

Access Theater
380 Broadway
New York, NY 10013
(Corner of B'Way/White Street)
   

Hotel Cassiopeia

We just got tickets to Charles Mee's Hotel Cassiopeia at BAM's Next Wave Festival.  The play is about the illustrious Joseph Cornell, and, as you can see above, the sets look as though they are refracted versions of his famous box assemblages.  The NY Times called the piece, "...a haunting theatrical dreamscape."  Sounds as if it will be right up my alley.