Fuerza Bruta

by Sam Norton

For those of you who have seen one too many abstract performances and have declared “Enough!” I may just have the performance to shake you off your wagon. Aesthetically and sensationally pleasing, Fuerza Bruta (which in Spanish means “Brute Force”) may be abstract, but it is much, much more.

Upon entering the Daryl Roth Theater, the first sign that this is no ordinary show comes with the complete absence of seats. Instead, you find yourself thrust into a throng of people, huddled at the center of an enormous fog filled room. The show follows the story of a lone man, ever persevering through the endeavors with which life unabashedly chucks at him, while he walks on a giant treadmill. This would seem to be the plot, however as the actors begin to dance, you begin to realize that the story has taken an unexpected turn. The very ground on which you are standing becomes a dance floor, and you are expected to shake your hips. If you are the kind of person who stiffens with the prospect of dancing, you may think that this is a cruel joke, but as the audience starts to flail and jump wildly with the dancers, you feel the music’s infectious techno-funk rhythm impossible to resist. You, too, become another flailing jumping idiot in the middle of a flailing jumping crowd.

“Look Up,” say the poster, which you noticed upon entering the show. "For what?" You might ask yourself, until you notice a woman, illuminated by bright beams of light, sifting through a small see-through pool directly above your head. She descends as if from the heavens joined by three others, until the pool becomes close enough to you to touch your nose to the pool.

The true oddity of Fuerza Bruta, is that the show is just as alive as the performers. At any time, it might awe you from one end, creep around you from the corner and tap you on the shoulder. No one movement can be expected--every action as authentic as the next. For better or for worse, Fuerza Bruta has been burned into your head, standing out above all the rest. The originality of the show leaves you flabbergasted; its zany dances and delectable imagery are enough to warm the heart of even the iciest critic. While the plot still remains a mystery, you leave the show feeling invigorated. You want to bring this feeling out onto the streets, and give everyone in New York City a taste of Brute force.

Tickets: $25 general rush • Daryl Roth Theatre, 101 E. 15 St.