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This show is top knockabout stuff
JUMP
Peacock Theatre
TOO often dance “spectaculars” disappear right
up their own prima ballerinas, rendering them wholly inaccessible.
Plot and humour are swallowed up by hoity toity “highbrow”
storylines, concentrating one’s mind instead on which flavour
ice-cream tub to pick at half-time.
So praise be to Jump, a sitcom all about a Seoul family who
happen to be all-star tae kwon do (the national martial art
of Korea) experts.
Introducing “drunken uncle” and “sassy mother”
(with scary hair), the nine-strong troupe each posses championship
level skills and enjoy nothing more than challenging each other
to battles.
There is the hapless, bespectacled suitor who transforms into
a tae kwon do master when his glasses are removed and the layabout
son, who also knows a thing or two about roundhouse kicks –
it’s Monkey Magic meets Happy Days,
Choreographer Gye-Hwan Park produces a high-octane martial arts
extravaganza (running up walls, anyone?) filled with acrobatic
agility and slapstick humour.
The slow motion sequences in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
are subtly parodied as is Chaplin’s famous walk.
The action – with no specific storyline other than two
burglars breaking in and a peripheral love story – all
happens on a huge sprung, carpet-covered mat. Even the coffee
table is spring loaded for extra bounce.
To round off there’s a wedding and the lights go out for
a dazzling fluro staff-swirling display.
Now, the words at the beginning of this review should not be
misconstrued, highbrow dance shows have their place – but
they are never this much fun.
Until February 26
0870 737 0337
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