Meg Stuart . Damaged Goods

If you want to see the world turned upside down then you should come and see Meg Stuart's 'Replacement'. On the stage we see an enormous wheel containing a sparsely furnished room. The wheel revolves, as do the actors, who resemble hamsters in a barrel. When the wheel starts to turn faster and faster they hang on like drowning people holding on to a sinking ship. 'Replacement' is a dance drama 'contaminated' by realism. Evocative video images remind us of the oppressive practices of authoritarian regimes, of theories of racial elitism and Orwellian predictions. In short, of man's monstrous inclinations: medical experiments, mutations and mutilations. We see that the role of executioner and victim are interchangeable. Is this the replacement referred to in the title? How far can a person go in his passion for experimentation? What purpose does it serve? If technology can manipulate us physically and mentally, is this the end of human consciousness? Meg Stuart draws us into the dark forces of the imagination. Leaving us with a difficult question: is this fiction? In a visionary game of fancy dress parties and masquerades we glimpse reality. A disconcerting but top-class performance.