FRINGE – Ghost Town – Dazzleland, Myer Centre Theatre – 4K

By Julia Loipersberger

There is something that has always terrified me about the concept of an abandoned amusement park. I think it’s something about the desolation of echoing laughter and the pathetic nature of abandoned icecream wrappers, and something miserable and frankly horrifying about the painted on smiles of clowns.  I had always thought I was alone in holding this view– until I realised that the Fringe show  ‘Ghost Town: Inhabitants of the Abandoned City’ was being held in the former amusement park Dazzleland, at the top of the Myer Centre in Rundle Mall, and centred on the tale of those who are left behind in the former sites of joy and amusement.

Talented choreographer and director Cera Byer, based in San Francisco and only in Adelaide for the duration of the Fringe, excitedly introduced her brainchild and announced to the eager audience that the choreography for the show had been organised via YouTube and electronic media, and the entire ensemble had only been in the room together for the first time five days previously. Frankly, I was a little bit dubious about whether the performance would be very polished as a consequence.

I needn’t have been concerned. It was obvious that the entire cast of the specially formed ‘8068 Project’, a 2012 Fringe collective group of dancers, had a very diverse background  of dance experiences, ranging from ballet, world music, jazz and numerous other  styles, and yet managed to pull together an incredibly cohesive performance. Despite a few very minor teething issues which were clearly related to opening night unfamiliarity with an unusual  space and some tiny memory slips in lines, this was a very polished show which evoked the despair, confusion and desolation of an abandoned place of hopes and dreams through voice, dance and very appropriately selected songs, which interweaved stories of major disaster and personal tragedy.

To me, ‘Ghost Town’ exactly characterises the spirit of the Fringe. Raw, emotive and extremely original, this show is a must see for aficionados of dance and for those who just want to see something unique.

Kryztoff Rating   4K