Dance Again – The Cockpit, Marylebone (Camden Fringe)

Writer: Andreas Bedorf
Co-Directors: Andreas Bedorf & Dr Pedro Perez Rothstein

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Intense & Affecting”

4 / 5

Noa and her friends had planned to dance the night away at a music festival, but what began as a night of fun and friendship, ends with a horrifying outcome none of them could have predicted.

The LSD slowly takes hold of Noa (Stephanie Christodoulidou) , her trip shaped by her friends (Mai Weisz, Charlie Howe, Chris McCormack, Weyal Bariz) who happily reassure her that the evening is going well. Strobe lights synced with the DJ set wash over her, putting her in a trance as she moves along with the music. But mid-trip she hears gunshots, screams and panic, unsure whether it’s just a bad hallucination or if there really has been an attack. She struggles to make sense of the scenario, weaving in and out of hallucinations where the festival is still carefree, and the stark, solemn reality of the horrific experience unfolding around her.

Dance Again is an intense, affecting experience that elicits an instant emotional response from the audience as Bedorf’s script progresses. The show begins with a fun, believable showcase of friendship, their easy conversation and anticipation as they try to time their trip together, enjoyable to watch. Bedorf, as well as writing and co-directing the show, serves as a live on-stage DJ, with a fantastic soundtrack and mesmerising visuals to accompany the friends as they rave on-stage. The audience, much like the characters, are lulled into a false sense of calm, so when the initial gunshots are fired, it’s a harrowing transition into the second part of the show.

Christodoulidou explores Noa’s confusion around the event really well, making the audience also question the truth behind what is happening. The lighting and sound is used fantastically to highlight the contrasts between both states of mind, and adding to the distortion of Noa’s understanding. As the LSD effects slowly wear off, and the attackers begin to toy with their festival-goers, it’s frightening and uncomfortable, with the fact of it being based on real events making it all the more affecting as the encounter plays out.

The final twenty minutes or so, deal instead with the aftermath of the event, with lengthy discussions on how to move forward, heal and reclaim raves/dancing as an enjoyable activity, rather than the nightmare memory that it has become. Although these are emotional, they last a little too long, and begin to become slightly repetitive, spelling everything out a little too much. This aside, it’s a positive, encouraging message, that ends the show with a happier, more comforting note to simmer down the intensity from the scenes beforehand.

Runs until 12th August