Maggie the Cat

The inspiration behind Maggie the Cat comes from Maggie, the main character in one of the most famous works of modern theatre, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. In the form of an enthralling parade of dancers doing a catwalk, Trajal Harrell masterfully blends popular and erudite culture in a single impetus.

Downstage, Trajal Harrell introduces his character, Big Mama, and Maggie the Cat. The references to the piece by Tennessee Williams and Mississippifilter into the entire evening. But for the choreographer, it is about a change of focus. The name "Maggie" becomes a prayer repeated over and over again to the rhythm of the forms shaped by the onstage performers. By means of simple accessories, such as a towel, quilt, or pillow, Trajal Harrell creates the different elements of a prized dressing room, and turns Maggie's abandoned house into a theatre of fashion. As is his custom, the artist combines court dance and urban-based gestures in a great mix of movement. Unless, of course, what he is wanting to do is to pay homage to the unseen figures of Hollywood films, those actors and actresses who, stemming from the America's ethnic minority groups, more often than not played the role of servants. Maggie the Cat is rich in contrasts, a cry of love which is full of life. As the performers leave the traces of their steps on the ground, their dance becomes living memory.

Text : © Philippe Noisette

Photo: © Tristram Kenton