Shadow Play All Grown-Up

Photo courtesy of Pilobolus

             As children, we’ve all experimented with hand shadows, forming our fingers into makeshift dogs or rabbits to project onto our walls. However, where the hand presents limitations, the body is fully equipped to contort into a vastly larger array of shapes. The number of us nimble enough to do this is so slim that I doubt those of you reading this have even attempted to morph your body into a meaningful creation. Enter the Pilobolus dance company, founded by a group of Dartmouth College (New Hampshire, United States) students in 1971. They magically transform their bodies into creatures, objects, and scenery as they transport us to a fantastical place in Shadowland.

Photo courtesy of Sadler’s Wells

            Shadowland is a coming-of-age story that is lighthearted and whimsical, an unarguably feel-good performance. We are introduced to a teenage girl who is struggling to find her independence while her dependence still relies on her parents. She falls asleep only to find herself trapped in Shadowland, where she embarks on a journey that incorporates shadows, dance, music, circus, acrobatics, and gymnastics. The performance optimizes several moving screens of varying shapes and sizes, front-of-screen choreography, and effervescent mood-altering color schemes. We all regress back to our younger selves, delighted by the simplicity, but still able to appreciate the complexity of such a creative endeavor.

Photo courtesy of Pilobolus

             What makes Shadowland so clever is its constant switch between being engulfed in the world of surreal shadows and the out in the open vulnerability of the dancers in their true form. We soon come to realize why it is we could never surpass our hand dogs and rabbits. Here we see toned and flexible individuals who possess a true awareness of their bodies and how to use them. Some of the choreography includes the dancers wearing minimal clothing, but this is not intended to shock the audience. As if their clothes were inhibiting their freedom, the cast continues to flaunt their muscular bodies, but this time, without any restraints. Watching them in such a pure state adds a new layer of awe to their graceful movements, which are made to look effortless.

Photo courtesy of Pilobolus

             Lauren Yalango as the sweetly curious and courageous teenager is the driving force behind the performance. Not a moment passes where she is not center stage and fully energized, an impressive verification of her stamina and agility. Playing with perspective, lighting, and angles, the realm of Shadowland flickers across a giant screen with all the precision of a film, except shot in only one take. Our teenage heroine faces many adventures - getting chased by crazed cooks, meeting a centaur, and being given a dog’s face on her girl’s body by a giant hand, just to name a few.

Our teenage protagonist just before she morphs into a dog-girl, photo courtesy of Pilobolus

             Shadowland is like a dream you never want to wake up from, equal parts vivid and ethereal. Through the use of a strategically chosen soundscape, humor that is universally enjoyable, and a nostalgic storyline, this multifaceted performance heightens all of the senses, reminding us not what it means to be alive, but to actually live.

"Sit!" Good dog, photo courtesy of Pilobolus

             Just when we are lead to believe that the show is over, it takes on a completely new direction. The cast spells out “Cheers, London” by using their bendable anatomy before we travel to New York and London. Iconic tourist attractions and landscapes are suddenly manifested from the previously barren screen, much to the gleeful amusement of the crowd. The members ofShadowland step out to take their final bow. Hardly looking ruffled or out of breath, they exit amidst an explosion of silver confetti, which I found to be a most appropriate end to celebrate a youthful and rejuvenating show. The illumination of the theatre’s lights acts as the metaphorical click of the fingers to snap us out of our mesmerized trance.

Photo courtesy of Sadler’s Wells

Photo courtesy of Sadler’s Wells

             Although the performance’s unfolding events could never naturally occur in real life, that’s precisely what makes it so uplifting. We all need some kind of escapism once in a while, and Shadowland provides that for us, expertly and unapologetically. Clearly having honed their craft, the Pilobolus dance troupe uses shadows, formerly associated with child’s play, and gives them a sophisticated grown-up edge all of their own. The whole show maps out like a magic trick. The audience grapples with how the whole spectacle is even made possible, but if we’ve learned anything from when we were younger, it’s best to remain in the dark, or otherwise risk spoiling the magic. Magic may just be smoke and mirrors, but in the case of Shadowland, what happens behind this very large “smoke screen” should remain hidden there.

Photo courtesy of Sadler’s Wells 

             Shadowland has been created in collaboration with Steven Banks, lead writer of animated series SpongeBob Squarepants, with an original score from musician, producer, and film composer David Poe, and seen by nearly a million people worldwide.To catch Shadowland before its finish on March 30th at the Peacock Theatre, check ticket availability here.