at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells Theatre, London

 

“Utterly, utterly magnificent.”

 

 

 

The director of this ‘cheeky’ dance/sketch/comedy show is Alfred Taylor-Gaunt. He thinks people have a fixed idea of what dance is and that it can put them off going to see it.

 

So – collect half a dozen dancers, let them co-create sketches with classical music as a background and anything can unfold. The result is 100% a clowning show – they just happen to be dancing beautifully.

 

The sketches come thick and fast, with over a dozen in the first half alone, all choreographed to music. Covering so many topics: losing a ticket at the airport (Flight Of The Bumblebee) to putting a duvet cover onto a duvet (Dance Of The Hours), getting mugged by charity collectors (Dambusters March) to queuing at a bus stop (Sailor’s Hornpipe). There is an operating theatre scene and a football match, there is romance and there is laughter. Plus the running gags – never forget the brilliant running gags!

 

 

I am a massive fan of Slava’s Snowshow – the Russian clown spectacular that keeps reappearing because of its popularity. I saw it in its first incarnation in the UK and have watched it blossom. Derrière On A G-String has that potential. It is a pure joy to watch. Still a little rough and ready at the edges – nothing a few clown workshops couldn’t smooth out – but Taylor-Gaunt’s creation will make you laugh. It is rude, risque and naughty all at once, but it is pure, honest and magical. Funny sketches – tick. Classical music – tick. Excellent contemporary dancing – tick. A standing ovation to the whole company and, especially, the performers: Jonathan Mewett, Sammy Moore, Alex Murray, Ruth Emily Plaxton, Joshua Sinclair-Evans and Aisling Tara.

 

 

If this show manages to tour – I can only but cheer and fist-pump the air. We may be living in dark and scary times, full of doubt and fear. But this show is a perfect antidote. 90 minutes of escapist theatre. Utterly, utterly magnificent. Bravo. Bravo.

 

Photography                             Jamie Scott

Director and Choroegrapher       Alfred Taylor-Gaunt

Producer                                   The VERY Top Secret Dance Company

Designer                                   Libby Todd

Sound Design                           Thomas Cheeseman

Twitter                                      #derriereonagstring, #putyourcheeksontheseats

@taylorgaunt_uk, @verytopsecretdc

Age 14+