Hold Me Closer Tony Danza | The Farm
Hold Me Closer Tony Danza is a surreal dance experience by The Farm that is determined to destroy conventions and challenge viewers. A simple misheard lyric is the catalyst for exploring the existential dread that is the creative process. The talented and captivating Kate Harman and Michael Smith lead the audience through this journey with a mixture of comedy and physicality.
Image: Jade Ellis
Throughout the show, the two characters embody creatives overwhelmed by pop culture and their pursuit of artistic meaning. The characters are irritable, erratic, erotic and unpredictable. Periods of dance are interrupted by audience interaction as the energy of the show builds and builds. Each part of the show is unique and unlike the previous one, yet the transition between these parts feels natural and logical thanks to the performers' skill.
Before the show even started, it was clear that this would not be an average performance. Groups of audience members were purposefully split up and placed on opposite sides of the theatre, with a golden drape blocking our line of sight. Placing audience members with strangers was the first step in getting us out of our comfort zone and primed us for the audience participation that would come later.
The show was extraordinarily interactive. Audience members were constantly moved as the lines between the stage and the crowd were blurred and rearranged. In one section, the performers sat amongst the crowd and chose individuals to join them in a ‘West Side Story’-style dance-off, complete with costumes and choreography. It was one of the most effective uses of audience participation I have seen, and everyone was more than happy to join in.
Image: Jade Eliis
The two main characters devolved into chaos as the show went on. Their search for perfection leads them to turn on the audience, projecting their need for artistic meaning onto everyone in the theatre. Audience members were herded, dressed up, and yelled at, as the characters frantically tried to achieve meaning. However, amongst these moments of chaos was truly fantastic choreography. When Kate and Micheal moved together, they seemed able to control the actions of the other, as their two bodies acted as one single object of dance.
The use of lighting in the show was a highlight. The characters danced erratically and suddenly underneath strobe lighting that seemed perfectly timed. There was one moment in which the lights went off only for a moment, and when they returned, the characters had switched positions. This was done so seamlessly that I could have easily missed it. The performers were effortlessly in sync with each other, their AV team, and their surroundings.
Throughout the show, the characters are clearly overwhelmed by the world around them. They start the show layered in pop culture graphic t-shirts and haunted by the sounds of canned laughter. Seemingly because of these external pressures, their behaviour was performative, as they tried to please the audience rather than themselves. As the show continued, each costume change peeled back another layer of restriction and societal pressure. This narrative was extended to the performance itself; as the show progressed, the performers’ movements became more technical and refined.
Image: Jade Eliis
The final layer for each character was a mesh shirt with their respective initials, M & K. But even when only their names were left clinging onto their bodies, the characters were still not free. Only when they became bare-chested did the character's movements change from erotic and erratic to intimate and thoughtful. For the first time, the characters were able to demonstrate kindness to one another and enjoy the act of performing on their own terms. This final dance was a beautiful capstone to the show, it felt as if the characters had forgotten they were being watched, as their movements were unified, harmonious, and wholly for their own benefit.
Hold Me Closer Tony Danza took me by surprise. I expected a show that was much more focused on pop culture references and punchlines. These aspects were undoubtedly present, but the show was more impactful and thoughtful overall. The common ground of pop culture and music was used to bring the audience together and prime us for more complex topics. While watching, I felt simultaneously unsure of what was coming next and excited to see where the performers would take us. This show will be stuck in my head for a long time, alongside the slightly altered chorus of Elton John's Tiny Dancer.
