Riverside Theatres, Paramatta
February 2011
By Dolce Fisher
Picture Perfect shows us how the arts can and should reflect current culture. Directed and choreographed by Fiona Malone, working in conjunction with her sister Dr Julie Malone, the two sisters created an entertaining and thought provoking dance work to shine a light on society’s growing obsession with plastic surgery.
The staging was very effective with cameras set into mirrors, depicting the self-loathing of the main character. Dancer Patricia Wood made the audience see and feel the distain she had for her body. The woman’s journey showed us her battle with her mind. The audience saw how violent plastic surgery can be, with a wicked female doctor, accompanied by plastic like assistants, who added implants all over the woman’s body. These were later removed, also in a very vicious manner. Thankfully by the end of the show the woman realized her issues and was seemingly healed from her psychological dysfunctions.
All the main characters were danced and portrayed well, and I was taken into the story. The theme of the work deals with important issues affecting today’s society. With much of the media placing too much attention on outward appearance it was refreshing to see a healthy perspective.
The Malone sisters hope to bring the work to more audiences in the future, having Picture Perfect performed to help promote healthy body image. With Julie’s background in psychology and her experiences with patients suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder coupled with Fiona’s strong dance background, these two sisters have the opportunity to make a tangible difference. Bring on the funding!
Share this:
