i know the end
Immerse yourself into an ethereal and entrancing world that appears in your mind when the lights go out at night in Alix Kuijpers’ debut Fringe show i know the end.
Creator, choreographer and composer, Alix Kuijpers, wants to demystify the experience of contemporary dance for those who don’t know how to engage with it. In doing so, he’s created a unique immersive experience for the audience, consensually asking them to participate with the work as it happens, and show that mystery can be exciting.
When first entering Goodwood Studio, you’re immediately thrust into the show with Kuijpers’ brilliant sound scape inviting you into the transformed space. The chairs and floor are covered in bedsheets, trailing inwards into the mattress placed in the centre of the ‘bedroom’.
With an ingenious use of space, the bed sheets, pillows, and mattress are utilized brilliantly by dancers Caroline De Wan and Fern Mines. The performance is completed by the sound and lighting, which all together creates a playful yet thoughtful atmosphere.
i know the end explores the ideas of human connection, intimacy and relationships, and the complex musings about growing up queer.
Dancers, Caroline De Wan and Fern Mines, begin the show as a couple getting ready for bed, listening to the radio, and cuddling up together on the bed’s mattress.
As soon as the lights go out and your eyes adjust to the dark room, Kuijpers dips the audience into the unconscious minds of those on the verge of sleep.
The two dancers perform beautifully, twisting and shaping their environment to create a new and ever-changing world filled with restless thoughts, strange creatures, playful memories, and a sense of alienation and anxiety.
The medium of contemporary dance allows the intricacies of the story to be passed over to the audience for interpretation. With such a rich environment, you can let the music and dancing flow into you as the lights oscillate between colours in the dark room. You can feel the emotions presented on stage, interact with the performance if you want to, and ponder on “what happens when the lights go off”.
i know the end is located at Goodwood Theatre & Studio for the entirety of its run, which is nicely air-conditioned to combat the heat on warm summer days. The venue also has some free events happening throughout the Fringe, with an 80s night and a few DJ performances occurring around i know the end’s shows.
At the time of publishing this review there are only a few more performances of i know the end, so if you would like to experience this ethereal immersive dance performance, grab a ticket before they’re all sold out.