Thomas Lehmen
 
  Author(s): Natasha Hassiotis
  First published in:  VIMA Newspaper, 30 August 2002
 
 

Following the current trend of international collaborations between countries, especially those in Asia and the member states of the former Eastern Block, widely known choreographer Thomas Lehmen created, for the Esk company from Estonia the work “Baustelle-Einfhart Freinhalten”, presumably, “a game of deconstruction”.

The process of the performance was subverted, as the normal rules collapsed; the dancers started to converse with each other, some began to speak in verse, to talk nonsense, expose their neuroses (a female dancer with perhaps experience of gymnastics began to do cartwheels and such like as if she were in athletic competition) or play football (at some point, as a shoot went off target, the audience shouted with disappointment!).

Particularly good was the point at which two dancers are in dialogue, as if two friends chatting; a third dancer began to dress and undress them, move them like they were objects, changing their positions through out their conversation.

 
 
  Contextual Note:

This text was translated by Margaret Baines
 
©Natasha Hassiotis