A performance without boundaries
Technical prowess, electric creativity, and biting social commentary align to produce WHO HURT YOU? The self-described hyper-theatre offering from interdisciplinary art duo Bullyache (Courtney Tylor Deyn and Jacob Samuel), writes Melina Block.
Frenzied drag pianist Barbs guides us through much of the show, accompanied by razor-sharp dancers Sam Dilkes and Frank Yang, as we veer between strobe-lit pop performances and ghostly ballads. An unnerving deconstruction of the tension between queer arts and culture and modern commercial demands, WHO HURT YOU? showcases a performance without boundaries.
A frequent complaint levelled against modern art is that the technical rigour of the past has been ignored in favour of unskilled, meaningless production. Here, then, is an excellent counterargument. The artists in Bullyache’s show are all masters of their crafts – they sing, dance, and create music to a level which requires discipline, training, and exceptional talent. Artistic rigour is not sacrificed for artistic expression; it enhances it.
As a dark-humoured observation of contemporary culture, this piece succeeds, but there is an unwavering love and devotion to the arts and life itself pulsing throughout this show. Performance is celebrated as much as it is critically examined, and the audience is forced to engage with the gritty as much as the glamorous.
WHO HURT YOU? Is a striking opening to Southbank Centre’s new series: KUNSTY. If this is any indication of what the rest of the performances will be offering, then this is definitely worth keeping on your radar.
