Studies For C

Taking inspiration from from Tennessee Williams’ play Camino Real and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Studies for C, depicts a couple trapped in a stagnating relationship, unable to escape the domestic world they inhabit because their reliance on each other has become so strong. Mexican wrestling masks and ranchera music by Lila Downs underpin the emotional powerplay of the dance. The costumes, designed by de Frutos, feature the writings of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who famously said ‘I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees.’

This work, now my third over the last 10 years for this company, gives me an opportunity to come full circle in relation to my first foray for Candoco entitled then “I hastened through my death scene to catch your last act” in which, inspired by the poetic perfumes of Tennessee Williams, I wanted to find a common ground for a company of true individuals. My feeling this time has not changed: We are here to observe, learn from and ultimately celebrate our differences. My ultimate favourite Williams play is the seldom staged Camino Real, where unique iconic literary figures wait in limbo and in vain, outsiders waiting to get back inside and within those characters another sub culture of peasants, sweepers and street workers that thread the actions. My focus is on these characters and on Williams collaboration with Anna Sokolov, the revolutionary American Choreographer.

Javier de Frutos