Bigfooted: a review from memory

For better or for worse, don’t trust the trailer for Bigfooted. It makes the dance show choreographed by Toronto’s vjk look like fast-paced, mindless Fringe fun, but it’s actually quite slow. This is a good thing, especially at first since the lighting is essentially given over to spectators to handle with the help of flashlights. Though the audience was of modest size the day I saw it, they were overzealous with their newfound power and the lighting was a bit much at first, to say the least. However, this soon subsided and at one point the audience even managed to symbiotically create an unexpectedly effective lighting design by repeatedly turning the lights on and off, making a minimalist section all the more compelling in the process. The end pretty much comes out of nowhere, but it’s a minor slip in what is otherwise a surprisingly strong production. Out of the three Fringe shows I’ve seen so far, Bigfooted is the most engaging, yet it had the smallest crowd. So stop being racist, stop encouraging your loser Montreal friends, and go see Bigfooted. Bonus: all four dancers are beautiful.

****