Rosas and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Rosas danst Rosas

Photo: Hermann Sorgeloos

Refreshing to see women dance on stage, although Anne Teresa did have difficulties catching up with the others sometimes - but hey let's cut her some slack she's nearly 50.

The women performed with such resoluteness that it kept me on the edge of my seat for 90 minutes. These women were powerful and sexy.

I heard that it was a wild phase of drunken parties that inspired the work back in the 80ies! Ha! I kind of believe that.

Maguy Marin / CCN Rillieux-la-Pape, May B

Photo: Claude Bricage

A theatrical, almost mimetic piece of work about human beings being and behaving (or not behaving), if that makes any sense whatsoever. The characters, each so different in every little detail, were striking and somehow unusual, although referring to all kinds of recognisable stereotypes. The rhythm of the piece was (both physically and metaphorically) monotonous yet not unchanging or colourless at all.

Delgado Fuchs, Manteau Long En Laine Marine Porte Sur Un Pull A Encolure Detendre Avec Un Pantalon Peau De Peche Et Des Chaussures Pointues En Nubuk Rouge

Photo: Sophie Ballmer

A crazy title for the sake of being crazy. I put it in Google Translate and what I got was: Long Wool Coat In On A Marine Gate Pull A relax with a neck Peau De Peche pants and shoes pointed Nubuk Rouge. Still doesn't make sense to me. Not supposed to, I guess.

The piece was like a pastiche comprised of insubstantial jokes, parodies, light comments on dance clichés etc. etc. A few people in the crowd were laughing almost hysterically - maybe they knew the performers. Anyway, the performance didn't quite have that effect on me.

In the end the performers proposed "that we all now go for a drink" (which we then did).

I'm sure the whole thing was just a cheap trick to get people to spend money in the bar. Damn capitalists.

Maguy Marin / CCN Rillieux-la-Pape, Umwelt

Photo: Christian Ganet

The dense soundscape, which was produced by a single string slowly dragging along three electric guitars, went hand in hand with the windy and sometimes cloudy set design surrounding the performers who appeared and disappeared in between the standing mirrors.

To begin with the characters and their movements represented stereotypes, nothing but stereotypes. To begin with a bit unsatisfying. But further in, it became clear that they were representing more than that: they were representing the general routines of life, they were repeating themselves like we are repeating ourselves, they were putting life as it is on display - for us to see, for us to face. Smack!

The changes were subtle, but they were there - exact and poignantly executed. Could have been an annoying reminder of the passing of time. But it wasn't. It was dry and unpretentious - it seemed like a fact of life. Of course, half of the audience left the building before the show was over.

It was the last time this piece was to be performed.

Jennifer Lacey & Antonija Livingstone, Culture and Administration

Photo: Daniel Davidson

Disappointingly short - I wanted more, much more from them. Can't really explain what the piece was about or what it had to do with culture and administration exactly - because I'm not sure I understood any of it at all. But it made me really happy. The constantly changing set seemed to suggest some sort of savannah with flamingos dancing around (Jennifer and Antonija), then Antonija told a dirty joke and they made "organs" out of green pieces of cloth, followed by some beautiful bell-ringing before they then transformed into a centaur, before they sat down at a table and sang a catchy tune... while making bombs?

Uh, really not sure about this piece. But it was very special.