Review | LoveTrain2020 review: contemporary ‘musical’ fails to fully capture joy of the 1980s
- While the energy and commitment of the dancers should be commended, LoveTrain2020 – set to songs by 1980s band Tears for Fears – leaves much to be desired
- The lighting is strangely dim, the costumes are bizarre creations in a kaleidoscope of colours, and the movements soon become repetitive
It seems the 1980s are in fashion in the dance world.
The blurb for LoveTrain describes it as a “contemporary musical” and “a choreographic ode to the sound and vibe of the eighties”.
There is no doubting the energy and commitment the 10 dancers brought to the performance on May 18, but the piece takes itself a little too seriously. It is standard contemporary dance fare and certainly does not resemble a musical; and it never quite captures the joyous exuberance of the 1980s at their best.
Gat’s choreography – created with the dancers – is effective in places, notably contrasting slow or fast movement by an individual dancer with a group doing the opposite, and the score alternates intriguingly between the big, anthemic Tears for Fears songs and passages of silence.
Two sections stand out for their genuine response to the music and their original, creative choreography: Mad World, which featured a thrilling extended solo from Abel Rojo, whose speed, control and musicality were outstanding, and an intelligent, inventive treatment of Shout, led powerfully by Michael Löhr.
