Damned Beautiful

Dorian Gray does discordancy

One of many pieces pivoting on The Picture of Dorian Gray at this year’s Fringe, this duet pares down the complexities of Wilde’s novel to focus on the obsessive sexual relationship between Basil Hallward and his beautiful boy. There is some beautiful choreography and physical character work here – the opium-glazed love affair comes across well, and Keir Patrick’s Dorian is a lithe, amoral lion cub, stretching and basking in the sunlight of his own sensuality.

But lasting engagement is made impossible by a truly awful invasive soundtrack, the sort that attempts to convey tension through half an hour’s relentless, high volume, industrial screeching and a badly-played harpsichord, and some poorly-acted, cheesy voiceovers walloping the audience over the head with the moral. It seems a shame that the dancers weren’t trusted to carry the narrative themselves: they would have done a better job.

Pleasance Dome, until 24 Aug (not 12 & 19), 2.40pm, £7 (£6)

More: Dance, Contemporary Dance (Dance), Damned Beautiful, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh Festivals, Fringe, Keir Patrick, Reviews, The Picture of Dorian Gray

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