Hollywood is a Lamta production (Photo: Ingrid Owen via woordfees.co.za)
Glitz, glam and razzle-dazzle
Old-style glam, new celebrity, tragedy behind closed doors, red carpets, a pocket full of dreams and a long line of rejection – these are the overarching themes of Hollywood, a dance production performed by Lamta students at this year’s Woordfees. It is, in summary, a whole lot of fun – an easy-to-watch showcase of talent, skill and performance styles. The passion, energy and commitment of the cast are tangible. From “curtains up” to the final curtsy, they keep the audience hooked and, at times, clapping along.
When you think of Hollywood, there are many different things that come to mind: the biggest stars, the great directors, many genres through the ages or the more personal journeys of actors (highs, lows and everything in between). All of this and more forms part of the choreography and story. Personally, I would have preferred them to have chosen a more specific focus, but, as a montage of cinema, it is a nostalgic journey. The use of projections was clever and most effective when combined with the dancing and singing. They were used more often and for longer sections during transitions than I would have liked, and I felt this lost my attention, but they did contain some very clever, original editing work.
A few of the numbers definitely stood out. One memorable moment was the rendition of Risky business. The dancers took turns performing their solos, and it was tongue-in-cheek and quirky. Then there were some romantic duets that showed off some really impressive partnering work. I was also extremely impressed with the singing numbers. I felt that the biggest highlights were when multiple elements were combined. Definitely a great choice for the entire family!
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