On this occasion, even the theme permits Thierry Smits to concentrate on form, without abandoning his favourite pet subjects: sex, desire and violence, which are explored through chromatic shadings. These correspond to seven sequences, supported by the play of light in their respective hues. Each section conceives of a different perception of the body, whether it evolves alone or is included in ensemble movements seeking harmony and synchronisation through rhythms generated by a group playing classical music instruments. Amidst the performers onstage, one actor speaks aloud while participating fully in the dance, while the other performers, who sometimes perform acrobatic-type movements in which their limbs seem to dislocate, also venture to sing and recite the text. The piece’s strange and fascinating eclecticism is the result of the personal involvement by all artists on stage, who were able to contribute improvisations that were nevertheless rigorously staged.

Theatre, music and dance combine with, couple with, complement or jostle each other in the service of the subject in order to render a total performance in which choreography remains master of the game through colour: red is synonymous with brutality, exaltation and crime; orange evokes energy, movement, circulation and interactivity; yellow calls to mind suffering and madness; green suggests the opposition between organisation and structure, on one hand, and disintegration and dislocation, on the other, to the point of atrocity and horror; blue conjures up impressions of unfathomable space, fluidity and immutability; indigo allows us to find a form of serenity and peace, while violet leads us back to the violence and irrationality of certain forms of power.

Ultimately, the performance follows no other logic than the eminently intuitive one that associates feelings with colours, resulting in the formal perfection of certain paintings that provoke amazement and dazzlement.