Hofesh Shechter - Political Mother

[Jan McNulty]

I saw Hofesh Shechter's Political Mother at the Lowry last night. It was an overwhelming experience! Very darkly lit, we saw dancers moving in tribal patterns - were they hostages, prisoners, the guards. Who could tell? Sometimes the movements reminded me of films I have seen of traumatised people doing the same tiny movement over and over again. There was a repeatd motif of dancers raising their hands above their heads - were they facing a gun or were they saluting? The score, to me, had a middle-eastern feel underpinned by a driving percussion rhythm. The musicians enhanced the action with their sinister appearances at the back of the stage. THE MUSIC WAS EXTREMELY LOUD.

 

I found it compelling and enthralling.

 

One concern, I wonder what the decibel level was? I was sat unfortunately close to one of the speaker banks and ended up spending most of the performance with my fingers stuffed in my ears - and this from a veteran of the rock bands of the 70s onwards!