If you have never seen a Dynamotion show you are missing out on a quite remarkable experience. The troupe was formed a few years ago by Tom Sainsbury and Lara Fischel-Chisholm and combines comedy, music, and dance in a uniquely satisfying way.
Their latest production is The Children of Sacred Valley and is about how a newly unemployed lifestyle journalist called Davina Cobb attempts to infiltrate a secretive cult on the Coromandel Peninsula.
From the get-go, this is a high adrenaline production full of thumping dance tracks, inspired and very clever choreography and wall to wall laughter.
The dialogue is pre-recorded and the cast mime along to it. The script is deliberately over the top and so is the delivery. It’s all designed for maximum humour, and it works. Davina is performed by the wonderfully comedic actor Kate Simmonds who channels a dazzling array of emotions and reactions to every situation she finds herself in.
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Upon entering this secretive group she discovers that true to most cults its members have adopted a uniform which consists of a plain white smock and a white platinum blonde hairstyle.
Each of them has eschewed their former identity and adopted a new name. But while other real world sects try to hide their underlying baseness and corruption with monikers such as ‘Hopeful,’ Steadfast’ or even ‘Standtrue,’ this lot are far more overt.
Their leader is called ‘Giving Lover’ and his followers have equally sexualised names such as Blissful Relief, Sensual Mammary, Euphoric Climax and even ‘Missionary Position’. There is no doubt about the priorities and proclivities of this community.
It would be easy to miss among all the the jokes, the spoofery and rampant sexual innuendo the very clever social commentary and biting critique of power, sexual dynamics, consumerism and human folly. I have no idea if the creators intended it, or whether they just recognised and chose to exploit the comedic potential, but the behaviours the show so expertly mocks are sadly very real.
But ultimately, this isn’t a morality play, at least I don’t think it is. It’s a damn fine hour of unadulterated fun and creativity which is incredibly uplifting.
To prove my point, I’ll share that I entered the theatre with a bit of a sore back and after an hour of almost continuous laughter the discomfort had vanished completely. If it’s true that laughter is best medicine, then this show should be available on prescription.
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THE CHILDREN OF SACRED VALLEY
3-14 September 2024
Q Theatre
