Played at Australian Theatre For Young People on Thursday August 27 and Friday August 28
Full disclosure – I’ve worked for several years at Shopfront Theatre and seen firsthand the work that goes into the Bodylines Ensembles program, but couldn’t make it to the mounting of its first full-length show. So it was with great excitement that I stepped into this new iteration of Out Of Line, remixed and remastered for Australian Theatre For Young People’s splendid wharf venue.
In an unadorned schoolroom, filled with children repeating robotic actions, a group of Justicators respond to all forms of self-expression with extreme prejudice. Led by a group of hooded rebels, these children begin to resist the status quo.
Bodylines has achieved a remarkable feat here – 35 children of varying ability levels (including participants on the autism spectrum) have contributed to the show, with 20 onstage simultaneously. What they have created is an expressive and complex piece with a clear narrative, but one that doesn’t dominate proceedings; Out Of Line focuses on presence over exposition.
While their choreography is not exactly uniform (partly because I attended an open dress rehearsal), this in itself creates points of interest – often one performer will end up leading a sequence, and the others will quickly follow suit. There’s something very special to seeing a young performer like Jessie Chapman step out from the throng and deliver a movement piece in which she is wholly invested – these moments are frequent and captivating in a manner unique to contemporary dance.
The older support artists – Lucy Watson, Lauren Scott-Young and Claire Stjepanovic – blend in surprisingly well among the ensemble. It’s endearing to see director Margot Politis in the front row, giving guidance with subtle gestures to the few lost faces that turn her way. Emma Lockhart Wilson’s unobtrusive lighting keeps us focused on the performers, and the set is purpose-built for projecting video art, all of which is created by the ensemble.
Among its most memorable images are splashes of colour in unexpected places; Star Wars-esque villains and character arcs; moments of wholly unnecessary exposition about pirate hats; surprisingly specific school rules (“no bird calls”); and the sheer energy and imagination that this huge cast brings with it into the room.
Out Of Line will play to enthusiastic family and friends, of course, but I do hope to see ATYP draw its larger audience base in to the see this intriguing new work. The future is bright and open to these young performers, and it’s exciting to think of what they and the Bodylines Ensembles are capable of doing next.
4/5 stars
