BLACK BOX (CAPSULE REVIEW)

“BLACK BOX" was a collaborative effort of 10 creators performing a synchronized live sound art with contrasting shades of primary colored highlights and shadows. The show started with a dark space gradually filled with noise and light creating an experimental performed-composition of sound and theatre presented by the students of SFU School for Contemporary Arts at SFU Goldcorp Centre for Arts on a cold evening of Feb 8th, 2019.

I got the opportunity to experience this oscillatory rhythmic piece of abstract sound elements and exaggerated expressions. It was a 60-minute adventure that wraps the audience in a blanket of resounding layers and reverberations created by colliding small metal objects with each other.

Each performer was creating an individual sound effect by utilizing minimal staging and props, but in a resonating impactful way to present this continual experience of wordless sound art.

Now and then I began to follow my gaze that triggered my visual attention toward the front of the stage. I was kept actively engaged by following the pace and movements of the performers providing the audience a visual and audible clue to feel the depth of each singular euphonious sound element made with objects like cutlery, rotating fan, pendulum and metal cans.

The most prominent and enjoyable moment was when you could see all the performers on the stage thumping the metal objects on the floor while one performer building a castle of metal cans on a table. At that particular moment, there’s a sudden change in the tempo of the soundscape, and we see the performer demolishing the 5 story castle made of metal cans with a quick whack of wooden stick producing an ebullient impact to the surrounding of the space and closing the show with dissolving light and sound.

As being an art enthusiast and music lover I think Black Box is a must try sensational and radial therapy of tempo, movement and high-pitched bass all collectively enhancing the intensity of listening.