Nuti

"Nuti was originally created in 1990 for the Australian National Gallery’s exhibition of Ancient Treasures from the British Museum. Nuti refers to the life force – the active power which bestows life on all creatures and plants. Themes of light and darkness, life on Earth and the afterlife, and creation and destruction were portrayed in Nuti.

"When it was performed originally in the gallery’s theatre, the audience penetrated into a dark tomb-like space which became animated slowly by ever-changing bas reliefs and long forgotten gestures from female rituals of the period. The all-female cast was partially naked and their alabaster skin was bathed in brilliantly coloured projections with Colin Offord playing his flute, gongs and extraordinary mouth bow live on stage.

"What a wonderful opportunity to remount Nuti 30 years later. I was fortunate to spend a short time with the dancers in the studio but, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the dancers found themselves isolated in their homes for months, with the internet as their only link to each other. As a result, Nuti 2020 is not the same – due to the health restrictions, dancers had to wear masks; they also had to cover their chests and practice social distancing.

"Despite all these hindrances, I think what the dancers have achieved, under the direction and guidance of Vincent Crowley, is remarkable. I want to thank everybody involved in the production for bringing back to life this original work and offering it to new eyes."

— Meryl Tankard

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