Compagnie Maguy Marin: May B

COLOURS is hosting an absolute classic. This bizarre adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s dramas was created in 1981 and continues to be performed around the world. May B established the international reputation of Maguy Marin, the grande dame of contemporary dance in France. A group of lonely souls, an eccentric collection of dusty geriatrics and derelicts, shuffles grunting to nowhere, constantly hoping to find a goal for their endless wandering. For all the absurdity of their existence these archetypal figures at times exude an effervescent cheeriness, whether discovering their primitive urges or hidden feelings under the layer of dust, dancing to Schubert or becoming entangled in Gavin Bryars’ mournful music loops. Marin finds delicate traces of dignity amidst the ridiculousness of being human in this subtle and detailed translation of Beckett’ existentialism into movement: the waiting in the void, the hesitation, hope and self-deception, the brief, mostly cold comfort of companionship.

“She is blessed with a sense of fantasy and of the absurd – and in Samuel Beckett‘s plays, she has found a perfect focus for meditating upon life‘s absurdities.“ – The New York Times

„’May B’, (…) a landmark work for French contemporary dance, is as much of a revelation today as it must have been in 1981, when it heralded new perspectives for dance.” – The Financial Times

Choreography: Maguy Marin | Premiere: November 4, 1981, Angers | Duration: 90 minutes no intermission