Performance

An interesting performance like a slapstick silent movie, but with great live music that blended literally in to the background.

The two leads were silent neatniks in the Buster Keaton style with a robot maid that they invent to help them with day to day tasks.  The robot doll is sometimes surprisingly lifelike, like when one of then is sitting on the toilet, and feels uncomfortable about the robot staring at him.  Interestingly, a number of theater seats were not sold because they did not have a view of toilet from the far right side.

The group is Dutch, and has done about 150 performances in Europe.  The music was great, and in the first scene, the two guitarists are wearing the same outfit as the wall paper, and they turn around and pop out of the wall.  The music was an interesting blend of blues and jazz they they composed while watching the show.

Program notes

There is a lot of talent at Dartmouth and we enjoyed a slick Dartmouth Idol contest yet again.  There were 6 contestants, each doing a solo in the first part, and then several trios and duets in the second part.  We each received a ballot book with 6 sheets, and we had to tear out our top 2 for the voting.  Votes were collected in big white garbage bags, and then compiled by the ushers while we waited.

The first performer was Jamilah Menah doing Proud Mary.  The introduction was a big awkward – a little too much about how it was going to be nice and easy – but she sang well and got things off to a great start.

Tyné Freeman sang well also, but seemed to have the weakest voice of the 6, getting drowned out at times.

Phoebe Bodurtha sang Gravity, and got a standing ovation from the audience. I though she sang and performed very well, but I found her voice quite strident, just not as mellow as the others.

Xavier Curry had a great voice, and did some great dancing, including an upside-down start from a chair.

Nikhil Arora channeled Robert Goulet for his performance, and did a polished, smooth toned Cry a River with a big band sound.  He did a lot less “coloratura” than the others, which I appreciated.

Grace Carney sang a very interesting song and had a 40’s style drag queen type flavour.  She had a good stage presence and another strong voice.

In between songs, there were some video clips of pianist and producer Walt Cunningham dressed as Liberace and visiting Dartmouth campus.  I think we could have skipped those clips.  However, there was a very fun clip of the senior Dartmouth administration performing as various rock stars, especially president Phil Hanlon and his wife as Sonny and Cher.

All in all six great singers doing a great job.  My choices were were Jamila and Nikhil, but the winner was Phoebe, then Nikhil, then Jamila.

This was a strange performance, with a large movie screen at the front.  Shadow images were projected from the rear, making it an animation to the audience.  The displayed photo is of the main “hero” character.  Occasionally some live actors also acted with their silhouette projected to the front as well.

The music was very interesting with “tonkori” (some kind of weird stringed instrument) and a round-type chorus of 4 Ainu singers.  From time to time they would slowly pace out to the front of the stage and then circle back.

The story was in Japanese (or perhaps Ainu?) with some English translations provided by the main performer.  It did seem that there was a long string in Japanese with a short English version.

I really did not enjoy this performance.  I found myself drifting off frequently, and was glad of the short performance time.  I wish there had been more music and less narration.

ShadowLight Productions

Program notes

Pageant at Rollins Chapel at 4 and 5 pm.

Christmas Mystery program