Capsule Review: Black Box One

Black Box One

Low frequency sounds hummed in my periphery as the audience chatted in anticipation for the show to commence, but had it already begun? Erica sat dimly illuminated by the stage lights as she waited idly behind her interface and pile of chords: until the answer became clear as a second figure joined her onstage.

To my delight, the first iteration of SFU’s 2019 Black Box theatre showings on February 7^th and 8^th explored found object instrumentation in way that contrasted the three-day student Sound+Music Festival held at SFU in December. Unlike this winter concert series, that showcased each composition as an autonomous work, Black Box One aimed to create an experimental yet cohesive show that explored the possibilities of objects, sound, movement, and theatre as one.

Attention was paid not only to the found objects such as necklaces, marbles and fans as producers of sound, but also to the embodiment of sound through action and movement. Rather than allowing the audience to fully surrender to the acoustic possibilities of these found objects, the viewers were brought through a whirlwind or “clusterfuck” of tension resolution dynamics in both the sound and the movement itself.

If not for the tested limits of boredom, created by repetition and droning, this performance would have lacked the ability to challenge audience and performers alike. Though at times the slow build felt arduous, the talented sonic processing in addition to the performers’ vigor brought the buildup to a roaring climax that provided the audience with the emotional reward that made their patience entirely worthwhile.