The Verse’s Alex Berdugo tells us what he thought of EFES at The Marlborough in Brighton on the 4th June 2017.
The Marlborough’s theatre was the perfect venue to host dance-duo EFES; an intimate and charming venue, the space was not too big but not too small, with chairs on the stage and against the walls to create a circular space for the performers.
Upon entering the room, we had to navigate around the dancers, Nicole Geertruida and Cherish Menzo, and their exotic poses to reach a seat. Thumping rhythmic bass came out the speakers which created a sense of curious anticipation. The lights went low and the show began.
Plunged into complete darkness, except for a single spotlight on the performers, the bass drum continued to thud in a hypnotic tempo. Geertruida and Menzo were moving to the beat, dancing in sync as if they were one being.
As time went on, the music became more dynamic as layers of sound were added, and the dance moves were adapted to suit the new sonic depth. It was quite difficult to interpret what the performers had intended with their choreography, yet it was enjoyable to watch their co-ordinated movements nevertheless. The driving beat of the soundtrack was relentless; Geertruida and Menzo were under obvious physical stress, but remained faultless anyway. Sweat trickled down their faces, which were both tightened in concentration.
The dancing itself was awe-inspiring. Watching them skip, hop and slide around the dancefloor truly captured the crowd’s undivided attention in this somewhat surreal manner. Upon finishing, the performers were faced with an explosion of applause before quickly exiting towards the bar.
EFES was an exceptional Brighton Fringe event, which brought a great deal of hope to the future of Brighton’s dance acts.
