What I liked
I loved the use of paint in the show. It was a clever way to “mark” the victim and show us that the experience stays with her no matter where she is, what she’s doing, or how she feels.
I also found the rope dance sequence to be a clever way to “keep” the victim from escaping from the attacker. This was an unexpected moment, choreographically, that was much appreciated.
I want to say thank you to Em her willingness to relive this moment in her life onstage for all of us to see. As someone who has never experienced trauma of this nature, I have to congratulate Em for an amazing performance that was able to transport me into her mind and into her emotional state because of the physicality and raw nature of the piece. Seeing the struggle and seeing her fight was extremely powerful.
What I didn't like
Aside from the rope choreography, I felt that the majority of the choreography was what I would have expected from a dance piece based on assault. Especially because the show is a dance piece, I would have liked more moments like the rope, where the creativity of the choreographer took the movement to a place that wasn’t expected. That being said, I do have to say that the lifts were seamless and the fight sequences looked well rehearsed and went flawlessly. Props to making these moments flow!
My overall impression
What I Want to Say to You is a unique take on one woman’s experience with sexual assault. I found it interesting that Em – a singer/songwriter – chose to use her music as the soundtrack to an emotionally charged dance piece, rather than create a musical out of it. As a dancer, I appreciated this because I felt that she was able to physically dive into the emotion of it and let it take over, in a way that she might not be able to if she was required to sing. WIWTSTY is a beautifully haunting piece that strikes deep into the gut and stays with you long after you leave the theatre.
