Upon entering the Highways theater space, one is struck by the intricate set for Jayde Spiegel’s “Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too.” The overall theme was one of country/western with a bale of hay deposited in a trough-like box stage left, just beyond were three women all lumped onto a rocking chair situated on a cowhide, and further along the floor a single woman lying prostrate on the ground catching water with her mouth while it was dripping from a can into a bucket hung up to water the animals. Just past her was a large armoire with a toy saddle hanging from it and a harness or ‘bit’ I should say, with a large carrot hanging beside it. I thought I had inadvertently stepped onto the set of “Petticoat Junction”, especially when the three women started to move in unison. One was even wearing the same frilly panties hung on the fence in the opening credits!
“Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” Choreography by Jayde Spiegel – Screenshot by Colin Harabedian.
The set provided a great deal of interest and props galore to play with and utilize for the various sections introduced by spoken word poetry by Spiegel. Thankfully there was a small hand-out of all the verses used in the show by way of a little booklet and by the end of the piece it made all the difference between understanding and befuddlement. Context is everything and there was some missing from the evenings excursions.
“Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” Choreography by Jayde Spiegel – Screenshot by Colin Harabedian.
At one point, Spiegel says she is “not a seeker, but a witness” and this was key in letting the visuals of the performance wash over me. The sections are impressions made through the juxtaposition of bodies and the tasks they are set to doing while moving through the space. The unison movement is fine and works in holding our attention, letting us attach said movement to the environment created. There was also a great deal of gestural movement with hands waving around the face, head and mouth which could have meant slopping the hogs, or not. After one of the performers put on the horse ‘bit’ she proceeded to chew and gnaw at it as any good Equidae would. It was a small detail but carried.
“Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” Choreography by Jayde Spiegel – Screenshot by Colin Harabedian.
One of the sections had the three women crawling and wrestling with each other all over the floor which brought to this reviewer’s mind those fabulous physical sequences from “The Three Stooges”. It was humorous in its development and length. Also worthy of remark was an extensive duet having to do with the carrots mentioned before. One of the women held a carrot below her waste while another placed her waist opposite and they balanced it between them. Then the one kneeled down and took the end of the carrot into her mouth, the other then knelt down as well and placed her end of the carrot into her mouth. What followed was a duet with both performers holding onto the same carrot in their respective mouths. No easy feat. This was actually difficult and I appreciated the novelty and skill necessary to accomplish this simple act while both were moving and dancing together. Depending on one’s individual background with carrots it was humorous, sensual, silly, seductive, complicated, risqué.
“Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” Choreography by Jayde Spiegel – Screenshot by Colin Harabedian.
All told there were some interesting and compelling ideas visually that could have benefited from a more concrete foundation to see them in. Overhead was a blue light that I finally found out was a reference to a blue comet streaking overhead – it was in the booklet, not the stage action.
“Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” Choreography by Jayde Spiegel – Screenshot by Colin Harabedian.
The cast of “Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” included: Eliza Loran, Marissa Mahoney, Tori Cone, and Jayde Spiegel.
Lighting design: Imran Khan
Props: Sonnet Garza and Jayne Spiegel
Direction and Writing: Jade Spiegel
Live sound was by Kelby Clark.
For more information about Highways Performance Space, please visit their website.
Written by Brian Fretté for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: “Empty fields yield familiar faces, who know me, who I know too” Choreography by Jayde Spiegel – Screenshot by Colin Harabedian.
