Lara Fischel-Chisholm and Tom Sainsbury take the word ‘terror’ to a whole new level in this apocalyptic dance comedy.

The audience (which is almost as star-studded as the stage thanks to the reputation of the show’s multitalented creators and cast) are lavished with glow sticks and welcomed into an atmosphere seemingly like a 90’s dance party. The feel is similar to and may rival shows produced in Wellington by Pinwheel Dance Theatre.

A voiceover guides the show from beginning to end with the story of Lara 2776. Lara and her robot lover played by Harry McNaughton really convince us that no matter robot or human, all are driven by the desire to ‘love and be loved’. Their facial expressions are captivating and never waver in all 60 minutes of performing.

Despite a lot of uniform dancing, and chopping and changing of roles, the cast of 5 all manages to maintain their unique characters. Hilarious solos are dotted throughout. The scene that has the audience in fits is filled with brilliant use of props, showing the rocket landing back on earth. Just as you might see a little kid do, a small, silver space ship bottle is moved around the stage with all seriousness and focus. Meanwhile the other dancers prance around as planets, and even the sun makes a dramatic appearance. Chase scenes, love scenes, torture scenes, are all cleverly choreographed to a mishmash of 90’s and current pop music.

Beneath the comic exterior lies some deeper issues of our current generation, which might be more manageable to laugh over than address head-on. This show allows its audience to just have a good laugh in the face of hopelessness. Terrorism, man vs. machine, girl power, environmental issues, God’s judgment, and complexities of love; they are all there! They are not all resolved, but at least addressed and executed between the extremes of the most energetic comedy, or terrifying cynicism. For the perfect example….well I can’t give away the ending.  You’ll just have to see the show to make up your mind!

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In Terror Planet, choreographed by Lara Fischel-Chisholm and Tom Sainsbury for Dynamotion, the two choreographers plus a trio of indefatigable ‘dactors’ (dancing actors) stomp and slink and gyrate their way through this wacky take on science fiction. Harry McNaughton, Olivia Tennet and Alisha Lawrie Paul complete an ensemble that personifies joyful physicality as they sketch the story of Lara and her robot lover.

Narration is otherwise carried by a voice over, which clarifies each step in the sequence of danced events. It involves, from the beginning, an entertaining send-up of romantic fiction, especially of the robot fantasy kind. Each segment is worked to appropriate popular beat music, underscoring the spoof very cleverly. Beyonce, Daft Punk, Cindi Lauper, Prodigy and Enya are among the airings and movement is matched to their tone as well as keeping up the storyline.

In Lara’s world, men have been replaced by robots, crafted by women in a soulless factory. One of her creations takes Lara’s eye and although she tries to contain her burning desire by getting legless with the girls, she cannot put him out of her mind. The action cranks up when he is sent away to  the hard labour planet, all red lights and pick axes until the robot slaves stage a revolt and whip back to earth seeking revenge there as well. Lara is now a fugitive, relying on her lover robot for her safety and of course,her other needs.

 This is just a taste of the fun Dynamotion has with concoction, but it is fair to say that the surprise events continue to the very end. Even at that stage, when the applause is about to erupt, a further five minute Rainbow dance is turned on, confirming the amazing stamina and exuberance  the troupe brings to its performance. Romping through a range of roles while dancing section after section of demanding choreography is all undertaken with cheerful and cheeky delight.

Warm appreciation from the audience showed that the group’s pleasure is infectious. Dynamotion is dynamite indeed. 

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Devised, choreographed and directed by Lara Fischel-Chisholm and Thomas Sainsbury, Dynamotion’s new Terror Planet (following last year’s dance thriller, Terror Island) is a real winner:

A comic-bookish tale of a dystopian world populated by humans and robots, it is delivered through effervescent dance routines. Very quick costume switches signal whether the performers are now humans,or robots, or the central brain of the internet-based computer system driving the world along.   

You can’t be confused about the storyline. The narrative is delivered via pre-recorded voiceover, tracing the tale of Human Kate Treehorn Zero Nine Nine Three and her love for The Robot with a Human Psyche. Over the course of an hour there are surprises, discoveries and poignant cameos; upheavals and twists and turns in the power relations between robots and humans. Therein lies the tale. 

That’s enough about the plot. You need to see the show to find out what happens, and the ending is a real surprise! 

A continuous stream of mostly upbeat pop songs drives the action along, and some particularly piquant choices pepper the mix, such as the early 60s global hit ‘Dominique Nique Nique’, which fairly romps along (but is actually a song about the monk who started the Spanish Inquisition!), an anthem or two – including ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’, a cover version of the 1964 hit ‘I’m Mr Lonely’, which provides the setting for an all-too-rare solo cameo,by Kate Simmonds, and a short burst taken from the theme music for 2001 A Space Odyssey. 

The dancing is a rich mix of moves from sources such as disco and jazzercise, Les Mills and line dancing, pub and nightclub dance floors, jazz ballet and rock videos. There’s just a hint of street every now and then, and lots of locomotion sequences: marching, shuffling, step-kicking and soft shoe footwork. Everything is delivered impeccably – always on the beat and in close unison whether delivered at high speed or medium pace – and seldom is even a bead of sweat seen despite the intimate staging and heat of the lights. 

All credit to the supremely fit cast who make the romp that is Terror Planet such a pleasure to share: Ash Jones, Roberto Nascimento, Dan Veint and Thomas Sainsbury; Kate Simmonds, Kate Barnett, Marion Shortt and Lara Fischel-Chisholm.

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