In this contemporary collaboration between dancer and choreographer, Bill Coleman, and sound artist, Gordon Monahan, the audience are treated to a complete sensory spectacle.
A dollhouse is a fragile object and so too is the environment Coleman finds himself in as he takes to the complex and deliberately messy set at Dance Base. Coleman is essentially the doll in this artistic piece but his house, perhaps a metaphor for life and environment, is falling down around him, all against a backdrop of the most incredible sound effects by the clearly hugely talented Monahan who creates wind, rain, heat and rhythm all from seemingly random objects.
Unusually for a sound artist Monahan is very much part of the performance taking his place on stage as Coleman moves and dances to the beats created. It is a combination of tap and contemporary which traverse the innovative dancer across the space in what is at times a funny and at times a moving tale of a complete falling apart.
Dollhouse is more than a dance and sound performance, however; it is also a fine piece of theatre, Coleman steadfastly staying in his role and remaining disconnected from those watching as his fragile world implodes. His focus is at times unnerving, most notably at the start of the piece where he stands in the space in silence for what starts to feel like an uncomfortably long time. But when the silence is broken and the performance begins the packed house is gripped from beginning to end.
The programme would suggest that Coleman will tap dance through the hour-long show. This is a misconception as there are only two real moments of tap dancing expertise on display. That aside, this a powerful, engaging piece of visual art which may be unlike anything else you will see as part of the Fringe this year.