For Body and Light Presents Coming and Going (Wired on Words) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review

Photo of dancer from Coming and Going

For Body and Light Presents Coming and Going by Wired on Words is currently playing at the Randolph Theatre for this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. Coming and Going is a piece that combines spoken word, music, and dance. The program describes itself as a story of a young man setting sail on a ship and discovers eerie, beautiful life. Watching the performance, I forgot about the journey. I was mesmerized by the dancers and how they moved beneath the light.

Spoken word artist Ian Ferrier whispered into a microphone over the soothing sounds of his electric guitar and ocean waves. The dancers Allison Burns, Linnea Gwiazda and choreographer Stephanie Morin-Robert let his words roll off them, flowing across the dark stage. The mixture of quiet words, waves, and languid dancing was hypnotizing. I had to pull my sweater closer to me to cover the goosebumps.

Coming and Going is a unique show because it plays with light. The stage is entirely dark, with exception of one large light suspended from the ceiling. The dancers take turns pushing and pulling the light. The light is more than an aesthetic piece, it’s part of the choreography. The dancers make it look so natural, as the light swings an inch above their heads. They don’t even flinch.

The show also adds another interesting element to the choreography: water. A small amount of water is poured on a tarp center-stage. The dancers move along the tarp, pushing the water with their hands and whipping their wet hair back. Watching the droplets arc in between light and shadow was beautiful.

I thought the performance was absolutely stunning. It is almost magical. If you want to be enchanted for an hour, please watch Coming and Going during this Fringe festival.

Details:

  • For Body And Light Presents: Coming and Going is playing until July 11th at The Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst Street).
  • Tickets are $12 in advance, $10 at the door. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes for serious Fringers.
  • Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062), from the festival box office down Honest Ed’s Alley (581 Bloor West), or from the venue box office starting one hour before the performance. Venue sales are cash-only.
  • Be advised that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and latecomers are never admitted. Set your watch to CBC time, and arrive a few minutes early to avoid disappointment.

Remaining Showtimes:
July 04 at 07:00 PM
July 05 at 07:00 PM
July 08 at 05:15 PM
July 09 at 03:30 PM
July 10 at 11:00 PM
July 11 at 02:15 PM

  • Photo credit: M. Kovacs Pictured: Allison Burns