Innovative dance/theatre explores who we are ...

They Live Next Door

Square Chapel, March 14

‘They Live Next Door’ is an intricately crafted dance and theatre duet that draws the audience into a turbulent relationship between two men created by Lithuanian choreographer Ieva Kuniskis and performed by Nicholas Minns and Mark Boldin.

Set in a sparsely furnished room, two men are alone in the half-light of a private home. But whose home is it and what’s their story? Are they friends or neighbours, brothers or lovers?

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Their relationship seems confrontational yet warm, tender yet poisoned. Are we watching their memories of a fading past or their dreams for a brighter future?

Minns and Boldin use Kuniskis’ engrossing and nuanced movement vocabulary to present the audience with an emotional roller-coaster. As the relationship between them unravels, the audience is inevitably sucked into their world and our fascination for other people’s lives is given its full rein.

“I am interested in social psychology and I’m fascinated by our idiosyncrasies, exploring what makes us who we are,” says Ieva. “I observe how stereotypes and social labelling affects our identity and relationships. In ‘They Live Next Door’ the two central characters are stuck…they don’t communicate any more yet they’re co-dependent, weighed down by duty, expectation and longing and they can’t break away from each other.

We’re drawn into their world and wonder how and why they got to this stage; we might judge, empathise or even recognise aspects of our own lives. They may live next door to us but apart from the odd hello, how much do we really know about our next door neighbours’ lives?” Ieva draws her movement inspiration from contemporary dance, physical theatre and folk dances.

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Nuanced movement narrates snapshots of scenarios played out alongside an original soundtrack composed by Dougie Evans. “We wanted to create nostalgic melodies that feel like a background soundtrack to the men’s lives,” says Ieva. “Inspirations include Russian waltzes and romance songs; the music is lovely all the way through.”

Tickets to see They Live Next Door from 01422 359422.