Two full bodied beings, that is Joanne Hobern and Jazmine Rose-Phillips, have glittery eyebrows and skin tight stockings, sit amongst patches of sparkles, grass, and two cabbages. I sit in constant anticipation to see what is to happen next. Sometimes find myself trying to make meaning of what I see, but also feel I should let go, and ride the cycle of what Joanne Hobern and Jazmine Rose-Phillips share with us. Soft gradual movement with light floating voices of “uh” and “ooo”, to sudden SCREAMS into the abyss, the audience and the space, then screaming at each other. I feel the audience is riding this wave of a cycle together as we sit in silence, we laugh, then silence again as we are all transfixed on these beings of magnificent violent sparkles.

The two beings go off stage, for a moment we watch as the lights transition and gratifying somber music plays, my curiosity goes back to the cabbages and the sparkles on the ground, wondering how these objects will combine with the dynamic energy these beings have brought to us.
They come back transformed, one fully immersed in stretched stockings, hair fullycovering the face, crawling slowly taking moments of breath. The breath, something so internal become so alive as hair and skin moves against the stockings. The other comes tip toeing in, arms bound up to the sky wrapped in a black long sleeve shirt that not only covers the arms but the face too. Since both of their faces are covered it’s as though movement and breath take on the ability of their eyes as they explore the space. So much detail in their hands, wether they provide support moving against the ground or float as fingers glisten in the air. Are they lost and trying to find each other?

The music stops and voice comes back, one starts with ”aaaau.. uh… aw”. The other, goes into metamorphosis, ripping and stretching out of the stockings, to reply back with “ooo…uuoo” A dialogue is created. No longer lost, they find each other again! As voice and movement between them become unison, then a violent SCREAM.

I start to see a relationship between them, thoughts of the human condition come to mind. We as humans long to find each other, care for one another, but we also fall out of love. Anger and frustration rises, we take those full bodied emotions on to each other, then gradually fall back in love. I see a love and relationship between these beings as not defined by mainstream society labels as romantic or platonic. But the two becoming honest in seeing each other as themselves, understanding one another as they are, as moving breathing beings.

Through this relationship I see these beings become almost intertwined snakes mouths wide, jaws unlocked. As their limbs move across each other, they unravel and one of the cabbages comes into play. A boxing match begins, one holds the cabbage in support of the other who is punching and scraping at the cabbage violently. I see exertion taking out frustration and pressure from the world on to the cabbage. We as the audience laugh, maybe in finding relatability of that want or need to hit something when we are upset, not always knowing why.

I see a strong energy between the beings fully established as they hype each other up until the cabbage is fully destroyed, thrown away, pieces of it scattered across the stage. I smile as I see them high five each other, the most pedestrian-like movement I have seen so far.

They go off stage again, I hear elastic rubbery plastic slapped across something. The two beings are back with cunning faces and pink rubbery gloves. A moment of glove choreography ensues, tip toeing of the feet now become the tip toeing of their gloved fingers. Hearing the rubber squick and slide across the floor makes me giggle and wantto  cheer “yeeeesss this is magnificent” as I see a real sense of unapologetic playfulness seeping in.

This glove choreography transitions into slapping of breasts and smearing of the rubber plastic material across their faces, fat, muscle, and skin. Exploring their own bodies and each others, cheeky smiles and play continues.

The space becomes dark as the projector goes on, the two beings face the projector arms raised, their bodies jumping. A big image of a cabbage is shown amongst flickering images of glitter vomiting into a sink or a tiled floor. Electronic dance music is playing, lights flickering. A light beams into the cabbages on the ground then on to each other. My eyes don’t know where to look, I smile in anticipation, again continuing to ride this wave of uncertainty. What comes to mind in this moment is gorgeous utopian chaos.

Another round of cabbage boxing, now the two beings switching roles, one supporting one punching. Starting off appearing satisfying to destroy the cabbage to then becoming tiring and difficult as the cabbage becomes smaller, as all that is left is its hard core. The two beings look at us, the audience, maybe searching for reassurance from us. The beings find reassurance in each other as the cabbage is dropped. They hug and yield into one another.

Silence is found again as they both gradually go to the ground, becoming one being, as their bodies roll and slide off each other into the sparkles and broken cabbage pieces. What was a gentle hug becomes grabbing holding tight onto each other. Reminding me of what internal care, fight, and violence we can hold sometimes internally.

Gradually they come apart and rope is gently wrapping one being by the other until there is no rope left. They come back together again in a beautiful embrace as their hands delicately combine.

The space goes black, as the lights simmer down. I think to myself the human condition can be like sparkles and glitter can be both messy and frustratingly sticky but beautifully magnificent.

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