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Two performers
Two viewers
Love in two parts
How close is too close?
A performance about intimacy and helplessness
Inert is a performance experience that delves into the psychology of love and loss when one is heard and seen — or not — by an intimate other. Small in scale, yet broad in its sensory scope, Inert offers a boutique performance experience immersing its audience in a subtle and extraordinarily intimate world.
The project involves two audience members who are positioned in the work on individual tilting platforms. Gradually shifting from near-vertical to hear-horizontal, these platforms provide a profound bodily experience of gravity that underpins the audiovisual and physical components.
In 2006, Inert was a finalist in the Australian Dance Awards “Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance” category, and received two Dance Magazine Critics Awards, “Best new work” (Herald Sun), and “Most outstanding choreography” (The Age).
Reviews of Inert @ Arts House (March 2009) have been published by Alison Croggon for Theatre Notes, Jordan Beth Vincent for The Age and Jana Perkovic for Real Time. Note that as of August 2018, these links are still live. Here are links to PDF archives (just in case):
Alison Croggon Theatre Notes
Jordan Beth Vincent The Age
Jana Perkovic Real Time
Inert was originally developed and presented with the support of Arts Victoria, Dancehouse and the University of Northampton. The return season of Inert at Arts House as part of Dance Massive was supported by the City of Melbourne.
Choreography & performance: Simon Ellis and Shannon Bott
Video: Cormac Lally
Design: Scott Mitchell
Sound: David Corbet
Première: 10 May 2006, Dancehouse, Melbourne
Images: Natalie Cursio
