by Michele Markarian
“Sacre”. Created by Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble. Directed by Yaron Lifschitz. Music by Philippe Bachman and Igor Stravinsky. Presented by the Celebrity Series of Boston, Boch Center Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont Street Boston, through February 11.
Watching “Sacre”, I couldn’t help but think of my first trip to India. The streets were crowded with activity – tuk tuks, people four or five deep on motorbikes, cars, regular bicycles. My colleague and I stood on one side of the road, jittery, panicking, eventually darting tensely across the street like rabbits on steroids. The people who lived there, though, had no such fear. They calmly and serenely crossed the street, as if they were working with the chaos and motion, and not against it. “Sacre” has a similar flow to it, a synergy between cast members of safety, trust, and belonging that’s only frightening if you’re on the outside looking in.
“Sacre” opens in a blackout, with bits of light flickering on the bodies that intermittently move across the stage, creating a firefly effect. The movement piece, which runs for 65 minutes and is set in part to Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”, is a testimony to the glory and strength of the human body. Circa, based in Brisbane, Australia, claims its artistry combines movement, dance, theater and circus. The ten performers that graced the stage all appear to have a background in circus training, yet their propulsive movements are sensual, theatrical and surprisingly light footed.
The thrilling – and frightening – part of “Sacre” is that the participants are flying without a net. The six men and four women use their bodies acrobatically, dangerously, in a way that makes Cirque de Soleil seem like child’s play. Clad in Libby McDonnell’s black, flowing boudoir slips and skivvies, they fling themselves against one another and to the floor, sometimes frenzied, sometimes elegantly. The kinetic movement onstage, I told myself, is marvelously, meticulously choreographed, despite my heart sometimes being in my throat.
What was most interesting is how both the men and women share their strength. Male dancers, who have come a long way from the tradition of being little more than strongmen to lift and showcase their female partners, are actually lifted here, both by male and female cast members. There’s a moment onstage where the women hurl themselves, like human bullets, into their male partners, who catch and cradle them like appendages they can’t let go of. The women fall away, only to repeat the cycle. It’s a powerful imagery of dependence and resistance.
Veronique Benett’s stark, dramatic lighting design adds much to the tension and beauty onstage. “Sacre” reminds us of how much the human body is capable of, and how fortunate we are to inhabit them. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.celebrityseries.org/productions/circa/
