De La Guarda's Passion
Do you consider yourself to be free-spirited? Are you someone who is not bound by conventions or lets their lives be dictated by the confines of socio-cultural rules? Does Free Jazz and BeBop dominate the playlists on your iPod, which you differentiate from the other 15 million iPods in circulation by listening to it with specially imported, noise-reducing earphones rather than the supplied white ones?
There have been plenty of motion pictures, books, songs and performances that have dealt with the subject of social identity. Oftentimes the conventions discussed and despised so vigorously in these works are sadly also confined by their own formats. A song is still dependant on a structure to get its point across. Books, and articles like this for that matter, have to formulate their facts though the clear usage of language; a means of communication for those who know it, a barrier for those who don’t. Theatre, for all its diversity in styles, shapes and sizes is frequently sectioned off from its audience by an invisible fourth wall, effectively creating two worlds, that of the stage and that of the comfortably seated audience. Even if the play in question causes you to cerebrally contemplate the notions of freedom, persona and life’s values, these passive ponderings will come as an afterthought to an emotion...if at all.
Nothing can really prepare you for a show by De La Guarda, for the simple fact that there is nothing like it. You will realise this from the first moment you are ushered in to the ‘playing arena’ with 500 plus of your fellow spectators, into a rectangular space which has no visible stage and is covered by a canvas of thick paper. You are standing. This in itself is a triumph, for how is an audience expected to actively participate in art when they are seated, or slouched against a wall at the side of an auditorium? For five minutes you are reminded of the daily conventions which you are cooped up in, a cage perhaps, a low ceiling and the claustrophobia of being packed closely together with strangers, accompanied by the nervous chatter of people, clucking like chickens. A continuous drone rises in volume, momentarily outsounding the human cacophony, bright yellow spots in all four corners are pushed to full intensity when suddenly…
What follows is mystical, enchanting and at the same time unsettling. Shadows of bodies turning overhead, silhouetted on the canvas, a kind of embryonic universe with shapes coming to life, the spatter of rain, human tadpoles swiftly swimming across the width and length of the suspended sky. At this point we are still the spectators, oohs and aahs emanating from the Athenian crowd, mesmerized by a hypnotizing mιlange of sonorous hums, glows and rushes of light, timed impeccably to unexpected movements. Just as the wonder of creation itself turns into playfulness, the element of curiosity takes over. What (f)lies behind the canvas? What awaits in the world beyond? Unavoidably, the urge to penetrate this exclusive membrane brings about a ripping sensation and we, the spectators, become the spectacle.
From this point on De La Guarda becomes a celebration of creative energy, a show that will sweep you off of your feet, even literally for a lucky few, arouse a lustful passion within you as you see these hyped-up artists evoke your childhood dream, one of being able to fly, whizzing through the air in showers and storms, driven by thrusting rhythms and flashing lights. The party also comes down to earth, but the mentality still very much high with adrenaline. There is an anarchic quality in their shouts and screams, an unreserved impulse-call to let go and join the party.
De La Guarda’s stimulation is of such honest conviction that it is in fact infectious.
It leaves you wishing you could be this uninhibited at everything you do in life, whether it’s dancing wildly in the rain, chanting indiscernible vowels from the top of your breath in congregations of new-found friends, kissing the boy or girl or baby beside you for the beauty of it and just because you feel like it. That, after all, is the real you. How often do you catch yourself resisting an urge because it is generally not accepted behaviour? How often do you conform to social patterns, when every iota in you wants to do or say something else? After having seen De La Guarda, you’ll realise you’re still a lot less free than you thought you were. This is exactly why you should not miss a moment of this show.
Congratulations to Adam productions for daring to bring such a cutting-edge production to the otherwise unexciting Athenian entertainment scene. One hopes the flying Argentinians will also be able to inspire other Greek promoters and raise the public expectation of what we like to see, hear and feel from a cultural night out.
There have been plenty of motion pictures, books, songs and performances that have dealt with the subject of social identity. Oftentimes the conventions discussed and despised so vigorously in these works are sadly also confined by their own formats. A song is still dependant on a structure to get its point across. Books, and articles like this for that matter, have to formulate their facts though the clear usage of language; a means of communication for those who know it, a barrier for those who don’t. Theatre, for all its diversity in styles, shapes and sizes is frequently sectioned off from its audience by an invisible fourth wall, effectively creating two worlds, that of the stage and that of the comfortably seated audience. Even if the play in question causes you to cerebrally contemplate the notions of freedom, persona and life’s values, these passive ponderings will come as an afterthought to an emotion...if at all.
Nothing can really prepare you for a show by De La Guarda, for the simple fact that there is nothing like it. You will realise this from the first moment you are ushered in to the ‘playing arena’ with 500 plus of your fellow spectators, into a rectangular space which has no visible stage and is covered by a canvas of thick paper. You are standing. This in itself is a triumph, for how is an audience expected to actively participate in art when they are seated, or slouched against a wall at the side of an auditorium? For five minutes you are reminded of the daily conventions which you are cooped up in, a cage perhaps, a low ceiling and the claustrophobia of being packed closely together with strangers, accompanied by the nervous chatter of people, clucking like chickens. A continuous drone rises in volume, momentarily outsounding the human cacophony, bright yellow spots in all four corners are pushed to full intensity when suddenly…
What follows is mystical, enchanting and at the same time unsettling. Shadows of bodies turning overhead, silhouetted on the canvas, a kind of embryonic universe with shapes coming to life, the spatter of rain, human tadpoles swiftly swimming across the width and length of the suspended sky. At this point we are still the spectators, oohs and aahs emanating from the Athenian crowd, mesmerized by a hypnotizing mιlange of sonorous hums, glows and rushes of light, timed impeccably to unexpected movements. Just as the wonder of creation itself turns into playfulness, the element of curiosity takes over. What (f)lies behind the canvas? What awaits in the world beyond? Unavoidably, the urge to penetrate this exclusive membrane brings about a ripping sensation and we, the spectators, become the spectacle. 
From this point on De La Guarda becomes a celebration of creative energy, a show that will sweep you off of your feet, even literally for a lucky few, arouse a lustful passion within you as you see these hyped-up artists evoke your childhood dream, one of being able to fly, whizzing through the air in showers and storms, driven by thrusting rhythms and flashing lights. The party also comes down to earth, but the mentality still very much high with adrenaline. There is an anarchic quality in their shouts and screams, an unreserved impulse-call to let go and join the party.De La Guarda’s stimulation is of such honest conviction that it is in fact infectious.
It leaves you wishing you could be this uninhibited at everything you do in life, whether it’s dancing wildly in the rain, chanting indiscernible vowels from the top of your breath in congregations of new-found friends, kissing the boy or girl or baby beside you for the beauty of it and just because you feel like it. That, after all, is the real you. How often do you catch yourself resisting an urge because it is generally not accepted behaviour? How often do you conform to social patterns, when every iota in you wants to do or say something else? After having seen De La Guarda, you’ll realise you’re still a lot less free than you thought you were. This is exactly why you should not miss a moment of this show.
Congratulations to Adam productions for daring to bring such a cutting-edge production to the otherwise unexciting Athenian entertainment scene. One hopes the flying Argentinians will also be able to inspire other Greek promoters and raise the public expectation of what we like to see, hear and feel from a cultural night out.
posted by Marq at
3:35 PM
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