This piece was performed in the Roxy Arthouse which was my favourite Edinburgh spot for a whole year prior to its closure. I saw Nick Cave do a reading there on my 23rd birthday and eventually found myself stood right next to my hero and his entourage in the downstairs bar. The Scotsman recently reported that the Assembly Fringe organisation has bought the building for its own nefarious ends.
I can't remember much about the show, reviewed for Fest, except that I felt completely unqualified to critique it after the fact. I tried to compensate for my lack of knowledge with pithy irreverence, but I think it shows through that I have no real interest in anyone's dancing besides my own.
Fans of Greek mythology will likely leave The Regretrospective disappointed that the 'half-human half-horse' promised by the show is not a centaur, but rather a woman wearing a paper-mâché mask.
Those who are interested in both dance and multimedia art- an admittedly more lucrative market- are bound to find the show more satisfying.
Juliet Aster, the piece's creator, plays the equine protagonist. Surrounded by a mound of rubbish, she despondently peels a carrot in front of a TV when her gaze is caught by a tiger. Invigorated, she attempts to woo the static love interest through flamenco influenced dance, depicting attempts at bribery and physical threats along the way.
Combining audio, animated video and physical theatre, the piece is to be lauded for its ambition and execution. Unfortunately, its tone is too similar throughout and it drags toward the end as the novelty of the premise wears off.
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