REVIEW: Tjimur Dance Theatre bulabulay mun? / how are you? at The Place 21 October 2025
‘a masterful composition that transcends narrative’ ★★★★★
There is a person, suspended on stage with red strings — an image that evokes a piece of modern art. At first glance, it feels conceptual, almost like an installation. Then the performance begins. What we witness is a repetition of walking — but wait, it’s not just walking. It is breath. The breath that creates movement, that dictates rhythm, that carries the dancers forward. They walk one and two, but there is always something in between — a hidden pulse, an unseen heartbeat that blurs the boundary between step and stillness.
They breathe to walk, they breathe to row, they breathe to step. Each jump is not an act of flight, but the natural consequence of a deeper step into the ground. It is the story of a people adrift on water, yet rooted firmly in the earth.
The mesmerising repetition of walking unfolds into a quiet symphony of breath — breath that generates sound, movement, and even the illusion of circus-like feats, all governed by an invisible pulse. The traditional timbre of Paiwan song becomes the final touch, like a cherry atop this profoundly human orchestration.
Even without knowing the historical context of the Mudan shipwreck that inspired the piece, the work itself feels like a celebration of endurance and survival. It is a masterful composition that transcends narrative.
Regardless of this extraordinary performance, I must note — as a viewer with hearing sensitivity — that the overweening noise from one or two audience members who shouted persistently after the show made me leave the auditorium, missing the Q&A. Such sudden, uncontrolled sound excludes audience members with hearing conditions like mine and undermines both our viewing experience and the performers’ effort. Celebration can take many forms — applause, ovation, or silence — but true respect lies in awareness as much as enthusiasm.
The film version of bulabulay mun? Is featured in Dance Umbrella’s digital programme, more information available here https://danceumbrella.co.uk/event/tjimur-dance-theatre-bulabulay-mun-film/
