The Humanimals

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 22

The Humanimals

The Humanimals, Richard von Sturmer and Charlotte Wrightson, are travelling the length of New Zealand, from Kaitaia to Dunedin, on their second national tour.

They will perform in Christchurch on Saturday at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery at 3 p.m.

The Humanimals use all three of the following as themes in their performance: mineral, in which an eccentric figure, Mr Chipden, has a struggle with a large rock; vegetable, in which a

woman is trapped inside a large flowerpot and has to explain her situation; and animal, a story about a man who wishes to become a dog, and a dog who wishes to become a man. In the performance there will also be a film — Humanimals Film No. 2 — which contrasts native forests with demolition sites, and "Falling Awake — an Elemental Journey,” a major work about a sleeper who keeps waking up in different environments.

During the last two and a half years the two performers have been evolving a unique performance style which centres around the relating of stories and myths. These original stories are told using a variety of media including film, slides, mask, movement and percussion. “We see no distinction between performance as entertainment and performance as exploration, a throwing of light onto areas that are often hidden or neglected,” they say.