Dance review: Natura Morte

Published on Thursday 12 November 2009 18:01

NATURA MORTE **** THE ARCHES, GLASGOW

IN AN ideal world, you would attend all four performances of Natura Morte at The Arches. Only then could you claim to have truly seen it all. Instead, most of us will have to make do with one journey inside this surreal world created in the bowels of Glasgow's Central Station.

The brainchild of Anton Adasinskiy, Natura Morte is a coming together of Russian/German companies Derevo and Akhe, and Scotland's new Conflux company. They're not the most natural of bedfellows, but the different performance styles born each side of Europe make for interesting viewing. Arriving in a central chamber, we find ourselves surrounded by doors – each with a tantalising title above. Speaking to us from a screen, the "Weatherman" asks us to choose one and enjoy a 20-minute insight into his life. Advised not to read too much into the titles, we venture into our rooms of choice – in my case "Misty Palm", "Drizzling Belly" and "Lazy Tornado Heart".

Knives, apples, water, wine and skulls feature in all three – aside from that, the performances couldn't be more different: two men in a cage, a lone man beneath a sheet and two female psychics.

Sadly, there's only time to experience three doorways. Back in the central room, the Weatherman asks who among us loves every minute of what we do? Adasinskiy's hand shoots up, and judging by the fun he's had with Natura Morte, you can well believe it.