Act One
The Herald, 1 February 2008
Extract
As dancer Janusz Orlik positions himself and musician Patrycja Kujawska begins to blow into her violin, all signs point to a comic pastiche. Then Matt Howden picks up his violin and as his bow deliberately scrapes the strings, Orlik’s limbs begin to flex. From that moment on Test Run is a tremendous fusion of virtuoso musicianship and mesmerising dance. Orlik initially seems to be a marionette controlled by the strings of the instruments, but then the roles switch and he takes physical revenge on his tormentors. The trio’s abrupt exit is even more low-key than their entrance, with barely a backward glance at the awe-struck audience.