HOME
Created by Àlex Serrano, Pau Palacios, and Ferran Dordol
Agrupación Señor Serrano
HOME has a marvellous flair for showcasing pieces of theatre that excite and assault the senses. KINGDOM is a perfect example of irreverent, loud and brilliantly clever theatre that ramps up the energy and has a theatre audience feel like they have just come out of a hi-energy gig. Co-produced by HOME this UK premiere of this Señor Serrano show is a fabulous and fruity part of the 25th VIVA! Festival.
Staged with long tables of archaeological or architectural like exhibits, alongside fruits, foliage, booze and fags with chain smoking macho men in front of a giant projection screen. The performers’ casual demeanor suggests no rush to even start the show yet the overall effect is gripping. Before anything even happens all eyes are on the stage attempting to drink in all the props and their possible uses.
This is a story of the cycle of demand, consumption, crises and insatiable desire. The history of the humble banana, its discovery by Minor Cooper Keith in 1876 and its introduction to the Western world and subsequent growth as a plantation crop leading to overproduction, crop blight and world financial crises. The growth of the banana from fruit to iconic superfood, mans’ fascination with King Kong and machismo are threaded through the growth of capitalism and consumerism. So many ideas and concepts packed into a one hour show should produce an scrambled mess yet somehow what emerges is thought provoking and energizing.
Using a unique blend of video, performance, scale models,dance and live music Señor Serrano are masters of their craft – creating cinema-in-real-time. The skill and artistry and nonchalant ease with which they intricately film tiny models of railroads and bananas highlighting the onward march of consumer greed. The impudent glee as a human hand starts moving into the footage or a performer sprays himself with a plant mister to appear sweaty in the jungle foliage. Old newspaper covers with moving film images in the columns and TIME magazine covering celebrating everyone from King Kong to Hitler, Tarzan and JFK. Every tiny movement is meticulously accounted for yet simultaneously these performers are playing instruments and dancing around with infectious energy.
The result is phenomenal as this tale of greed and disaster grows so too does the energy and pace of this piece. By the end the stage is filled with more bare chested posturing macho men dancing to an ever louder beat as confetti cannons shoot euros into the audience. Is this theatre or a utterly brilliant night on Canal Street? It’s certainly memorable and as we are repeatedly told, Estamos bien, estamos bien.
Images by Vicenç Viaplana
Live Art Alive 