Fringe profile: Fu Ta Go (Twins)

Hana Aoake & Kajsa Louw in Twins. Photo by Markus Gradwohl.

Go see Fu Ta Go (Twins) if you want something truly original, and slightly unsettling.Combining the ancient with the very modern, Fu Ta Go is an exploratory piece of theatre, focussing on the physical elements of dance and movement, rather than narrative and dialogue.

Fu Ta Go (Japanese for ‘Twins') is the first production from The Theatre As Is, a new local company pioneered by Jimmy Currin (director and producer), and starring Hana Aoake and Kajsa Louw.

"[The idea] emerged from a short poem I wrote four years ago, mystical and mythological garbage - based on a creation and coming-of-age myth - physical theatre that instantaneously jumped into my mind- we could do it, it wasn't written down as a play until we had all choreographed the movements."

Currin, who has worked on previous Fringe Festival events such as the 2006 Moth Hearts in the Night House, sees this as an experience for both the audience and The Theatre As Is.

"We've worked incredibly hard, and its produced a piece of theatre that is very three-dimensional, and holistic in terms of its connection, despite the unusual elements"

"We'll learn something huge"

Aoake believes this emphasis on physicality to be the most important thing about the performance

"It's an open forum.

"It gives us the opportunity to do the things we're interested in, things that are worthwhile and things that push us.

"It evokes all of your senses. I am really clumsy and awkward and I wanted to challenge myself. Kajsa is an amazing beautiful dancer, I wanted to be able to keep up with her."

Aoake reveals, "I took up yoga"

Louw also asserts that movement is important

"It has a spiritual element. Dance used to be about worship and connecting with the heavens... It feels like there is an aspect of that [in Fu Ta Go]"

"[It] will place the audience out of their comfort zone."

So then why will the audience like it?

Currin asserts, "It's something different and it's entertaining. In Theatre Studies we're encouraged to be innovative and original, just like the Maths and Sciences at Otago University are."

"There's a lot of strong Theatre work coming out of Allen Hall, and Twins is a great way for the Fringe audience to check out what's happening".."

• Fu Ta Go (Twins) is on from March 22nd-27th at the Dunedin Railway Station. Tickets are 9.90.