John Jasperse By Jann Parry for The Observer
John Jasperse, an American who works a lot in Europe, made his Dance Umbrella debut last week. Giant Empty is a serious work in which desolation becomes indistinguishable from dullness. Look at the date, 2001, and the little blocks of wood piled up in a skyscraper cityscape. One dancer knocks them down; another starts to build them up.
Not a lot happens in between. Four traumatised people explore things they can do with parts of the body, clothed and unclothed.
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John Jasperse Company By David Dougill for The Sunday Times
Also from New York, the John Jasperse Company made an Umbrella debut at The Place with Giant Empty, an impenetrable, lumpen event with industrial music to set your brain on edge. It included (in silence) a protracted coupling of two stark-naked men, during which one sat on the other’s face. In relief, a titter ran through the audience — those who hadn’t already walked out.
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