Pepperland - Carnaby Street inspired creativity

Pepperland - Carnaby Street inspired creativity

Pepperland by Mark Morris Dance Group

This looks rainbow enough for me - and very much how Sindy, Barbie and Ken might look, if they formed a dance troupe and synchronised like Pans People.

Here are Pans People, silver booted in 1970

and rainbow in 1973

The crumpled silver foil on the Pepperland set reminds me of the lo-fi dioramas in Sindy knitting pattern illustrations.

Robin knitting pattern with foil scene

Might catch Pepperland this week at Sadlers Wells dance theatre in London's Islington. A show "visually on the cusp of Carnaby Street and Woodstock" and a "tribute to of one of the best-selling albums of all time: The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band".

The Mod era seems to be all the rage again - Carnaby Street is also the theme for this year's Fashion Doll Festival (second weekend of June this year at the V&A Museum of Childhood).

NOTE 21 March - went to see Pepperland yesterday. It was nice but I wouldn't especially recommend it. The costumes were good but no surprises - all was revealed in the trailer. Likewise the set was the tinfoil around the edge and didn't change. The music was a rough re-make of the Beatles album which was a bit disappointing. However, soundwise  the warpish sound of a theremin was a highlight and we could see it being played from our lofty location in the second circle. The dance seemed technically amazing with a slightly floppy style (can't think of any other way to describe it). Some fab bits which are hard to describe. Good but I wouldn't shout about it from the rooftops.

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