ITEM
17 – 19 August 2023
New Benner Theatre, Metro Arts, West End
Brisbane’s Dance Masala Bollywood Dance Company flips the script on Indian idealised romance and storytelling tropes with ITEM, a knowing love letter to the iconic institution of Bollywood.
Inspired by personal letters, messages and interviews collected from hundreds of women over the past three years, this new work by Brisbane’s Dance Masala looks at how the media and narrative we consume can affect us, even subconsciously, and invites audiences to witness Bollywood’s enduring influence through the confluence of captivating dance moves, arresting visuals and eye-catching costumes.
ITEM juxtaposes the feedback and critiques of die-hard Bollywood fans with real narratives from the Desi diaspora for a new take on this beloved genre of Indian storytelling. Brought to life by Dance Masala’s all-female Nakhre crew and directed by multi-hyphenate artist Lisa Fa’alafi (Hot Brown Honey), ITEM is a vivid reinvention and an inclusive theatrical work that both celebrates Bollywood and shakes it up.
Dance Masala Director and creator of ITEM Andrea Lam said that this is a completely earnest work of satire that stems from a deep love of Bollywood as seen through a feminist lens. “’Dear Bollywood, we love you but we have to talk…’ It is both a love letter to Bollywood and some gentle feedback,” Lam explains. “ITEM is a new-wave feminist work, an empathetic disruption that promises a night of insane dancing and projection-rich immersive theatre, which will have you fall in love with Bollywood as both your romantic partner and your problematic ex. You’re welcome, and we apologise.”
Bollywood fans can also take their movie moves to the next level in two workshops presented by Andrea Lam at Metro Arts on 28 June and 18 July – tickets are $10 plus booking fee, and the workshops are recommended for ages 15+.
For ticketing and further information, visit the Metro Arts website
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