L’Après-Midi d’un Foehn – Version 1

TV Bomb / Julie Dawson


Most of the cast in one of this year’s biggest hits are rubbish. In the literal sense. In truth, the performances the sole human coaxes from a handful of plastic bags are truly astonishing. In this perfectly compact 25-minute performance, the audience are treated to a full range of emotions from joy and wonder to fear, despair and rage.

Ostensibly a children’s show, l’Après-midi d’un Foehn (named for the Debussy piece to which it is loosely choreographed) is drawing in crowds of all ages for each unique performance. The introduction may seem slow for children as the conductor methodically creates his first plastic “dancer” but the magical moment when the character comes to life is more than sufficient reward. And as more and more figures join in the dance, there is a real levelling effect where the entire audience is held in thrall, with one child’s spontaneous exclamations of “Fantastic!” speaking for everyone.