WROUGHTLAND (Gunnar Montana): 2016 Fringe review 55

wroughtland-gunnar-montana-review

Entering Gunnar Montana’s set design for his highly charged Fringe show, WROUGHTLAND, we enter another world: vines creep up every black wall and drip and reach from the ceiling, moss covers stairs up to a stage, lanterns hang along the edge of the thrust floor. Hooded figures appear and put out the candles one by one. Now we’re really transported to a different land, with a series of fairy tale themed dances at a production value to match the impressive set.

Gunar Montana’s choreography is seriously energetic. Danced to a well-mixed combination of Disney tunes (“Whistle While You Work”) and modern hits (Halsey’s “Castle”), these are burlesque-infused numbers more downright sexual than subtly sensual. Performing to Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman”, Shadou Mintrone drips water down her flawless, topless body and slides with graceful force along the wetness she’s created. This is hot, but it’s no strip club; the dancer’s are skilled (there’s some disneyesque demipoint ballet and tap-dancing rabbits) and the choreography is complex and funny. The highlight comes from Montana himself in a high-octane, in-your-face solo to Gin Wigmore’s “Black Sheep”. A wall lifts to reveal a fitting slogan to his fairy tale: “I’m not your fucking princess.”

[The Latvian Society, 531 N. 7th Street] September 9-24, 2016; fringearts.com/wroughtland.

3 Replies to “WROUGHTLAND (Gunnar Montana): 2016 Fringe review 55”
  1. Amazing show. I agree with everything you’ve reviewed, but the woman who performs to “dangerous woman” is not Stephi Lyneice, it’s Shadou Mintrone.

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