Tongues of Stone

STRUT dance

Various locations, Perth CBD

Abride-like figure dances in the middle of the Perth Underground train station to the astonishment of Saturday shoppers waiting for the Clarkson train.

So begins Tongues of Stone, a dance work that takes its audience on a walking tour from the William Street station to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Although tied to the local landscape's past, Tongues of Stone is the brainchild of New Zealand directors Carol Brown and Dorita Hannah.

This production is a risky work and some of the risks work better than others. The spectacle of the dancers and about 40 audience members in headphones attracts attention and, on this occasion, a number of passers-by stop to watch a section of the work or join the tour.

The journey is not only a physical one. Mythological creatures appear along the way, creating a sense of being in an "other" place. Five dancers jerk and pulse, their faces hidden by long, red hair. They lead the audience down a lane, where a Rapunzel-like figure writhes from a platform two storeys up, red fabric billowing from her body to the ground.

With the aid of a soundscape incorporating voice, music, water and animal sounds, the viewer is transported to a place that feels strangely primal. The presence of the odd characters transforms the various spaces they inhabit.

Tongues of Stone's strength is its ability to highlight forgotten features of the city - to make the mundane appear alien and even beautiful. Where the work is less successful is when it tries to incorporate too many stories. With several narrative streams on the go, it is thematically confusing. That aside, Tongues of Stone is a visually arresting work that casts a new light on urban spaces.