Watermans Arts Centre, London
October 17, 2021
“Rip, fold and scrumple!” is the instruction in the programme for Takeshi Matsumoto’s Club Origami, an interactive and immersive dance show for the under-5s and their grown-ups that puts the emphasis on creativity through play.
Sort of ‘starting before it starts’, it opened with some opportunities front-of-house to engage in origami for the youngsters (alas adults not included, although some did fashion paper ‘planes). The idea is good but it felt a little too unstructured, and perhaps more problematic, way beyond the capabilities of the intended audience.
The performance started with the presentation of small items of classic origami (fans, birds and pretty sophisticated ‘planes) with performers Matsumoto and Makiko Aoyama miming the objects. They were rather small, though, not always distinguishable, even at close range and with that mime. The movement clearly owed much to tai chi which, unsurprisingly, did not mesmerise the target age group (many maxed out their ability to focus very quickly). A bouncing fan dance with medium sized origami fans fared much better, however, and the restlessness abated.
Photo Summer Dean
At one stage, a large sheet of pre-folded paper was used to create a full-face mask. A cat perhaps? The section may have been a little too long and unclear (holding the attention of many was again problematic), and perhaps coloured paper or different lighting would have made the figures clearer (colour is also more attention grabbing for young children than white), but this was precisely what the space and most youngsters demanded rather than the previous intimate small pieces.
Play came to the fore when the performers donned rag suits, then slammed large piles of paper strips into a heap centre stage, pulling streams of paper from upstage and throwing it into the audience. The adults watching appeared to enjoy this at least as much as the children, if not more. Everyone was finally invited onto the stage to indulge further. Pity the poor staff though, with three shows a day to clear up!
The concept behind Club Origami is fine. But looking back, I can’t help feeling the performance is backwards. It ends with what is effectively the destruction of its source material, paper. Would it not be better to round-off by showing the creative possibilities of paper and the amazing origami that can be created through play (as the programme suggests), inviting the youngsters, guided by the adults, to make their own handiwork?
The music was provided by Robert Howat in a mix of recorded backing and live performance on an electronic keyboard in vibraphone mode. It particularly suited the tai chi-type movement.