Review: THE SURGE: AN ODE TO SINEAD O’CONNOR, Aviva Studios
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Produced by The Joyce Theatre and Factory International, and directed and choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O’Connor is a powerfully physical manifestation of the words and music of the late singer, songwriter and activist, Sinéad O’Connor.
It is the voice of Sinéad that welcomes us into The Hall space in Aviva Studios, Manchester, as we hear, in the darkness, how the late artist was summoned by her grandfather’s piano. A wise instrument that advised “people don’t talk, voices fly into musical things.” In this piece, Sinéad’s voice soars out of Tayeh’s choreography, performed by 10 dance artists with 500 years of collective wisdom between them.
When we meet these artists, they are neatly seated amongst the four church pews of Tom Visser’s set design, which become the site of the struggles and the triumphs that are at the heart of this piece: a presence that is continuously pushed, pulled and reshaped in front of our eyes.
The 70-minute performance is narrated by O’Connor, whose voice we hear sharing extracts from her memoirs, Rememberings, published in 2021. The thread of her lyrical expressions, paced beautifully by designer Marc Cardarelli, is the catalyst for the dance artists’ movement, which avoids merely illustrating O’Connor’s discography, and instead amplifies its emotion into fierce energy, sheer physicality and wild power.
Canonical phrases and movement in unison are woven together deftly by Tayeh to underline the statements made in O’Connor’s music about the breath of the female experience: the anger, the fear, the hope, the sensuality, the joy. Particularly effective are the transitions between solo and ensemble work, which powerfully emphasise the universality and relatability of the experiences evoked in her lyrics.
The connection of each individual dance artist to O’Connor, and the mastery of each performer, is clear to see in the individuality of performances within the ensemble. Phrases in unison are performed flawlessly to increase the volume of a number of leitmotifs throughout the piece, and solo sequences, pas de deux, and trois, are so naturally held with care and power by the group that the emotion of the collective resonates within their audience as we exit the theatre.
Three years after O’Connor’s passing, this production is a celebration of her life and how she lived. The Surge is both a battle cry and a sanctuary for women who have something to say, whether or not the world is ready to listen.
Accessible to all (14+), with or without an existing knowledge of O’Connor’s life and work, this production is recommended for those seeking contemporary dance that speaks volumes, urgently and loudly.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Lauren Wilson
The Surge plays at Manchester’s Aviva Studios until 27 June, with further info here.