Flatland

Vanessa Justice’s Flatland is a world of many dimensions. Maggie Bennett, Kendra Portier, and Alli Ruszkowski weave their way through the many nooks and crannies of Flatland with one part grace, two parts pulsation, and all parts surreal. Throughout the piece, the movements appear to be very much a part of a ritual that we, the audience, are not invited to, but are simply observers.
Using black-and-white clips from the movie, Eraserhead, Justice’s women run, scream, and convulse around a shadowy room. There appeared to be no narrative, which left the piece simply to be interpreted by emotion alone. The hour-long piece produced at times terror, confusion or incredulity, or amusement. The mood was often tense, only relieved by the sudden bursts of lively music or at an instance when the three women stepped up to the audience and offered “the best seat in the house,” so that we might be “comfortable.” However, this display of including the audience only served to alienate the audience more, almost mocking it for watching the women move. Once an audience member was placed in the seat, the women promptly went back to ignoring the audience.
However surreal the show was, it was nevertheless interesting to watch as the women made their way through Flatland, a world where anything could happen—and be almost normal.


Erica Reyes