Showing @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 08 Feb only @ 19:30

The companion piece to LUVOS, from the Manipulate 2012 programme, the Editta Braun Company present PLANET LUVOS, a primordial tapestry of physical movement. With no dialogue, the performers spectrally posture about the stage depicting an undiscovered land populated with unexpected organisms.

The early scene in which the dancers, like slithering maggots, shed their skins of man-made mechanical overalls to reveal the organic sight of exposed flesh, sets up the premise that we’re departing from civilization in a singlular striking visual metaphor. This atmosphere is also reflected in the soundtrack; domineering to begin with, it later replaces the more industrial acoustics for aquatic gurgles and other natural audio.

Although the performers are almost entirely naked for the whole show, it’s entirely desexualised; transcending their humanity they become the menagerie of quirky, alien beings – emphasised by a disguising of obviously human features. The nudity is also important because it strengthens the biological element of these creatures; we see muscles tensing and bones writhing under the skin. While visually strange, the jerky movement of Editta Braun’s choreography recognisably mimics those of simple organisms in relatively early stages of evolution. PLANET LUVOS is so effective because it blends beguiling gambolling with characters that while simplistic and alien, exhibit the humanistic traits of curiosity, companionship and humour.