Watch iT!

The relationship between one man and his television might not stand out as a particularly fruitful subject for a dance production but Tony Mills’ solo WATCH iT! is essential viewing, not only for lovers of dance but also for theatre enthusiasts.

Mills, also a member of Freshmess and Edinburgh-based Random Aspekts BBoy crew, is the founder of Room 2 Manoeuvre, a company which aims to combine dance with other creative disciplines. With his witty exploration of a television addiction Mills blends media and props with hip hop, breaking and contemporary dance.

Since Urban dance has its origins in street culture, it could be considered the antithesis of theatrical dance, but with a production which is based around a loose narrative, Mills contributes to a welcome trend in urban dance for contemporary, humorous realism. Solo performances can sometimes become tedious and have a tendency to be unremittingly serious and angst-ridden, but WATCH iT! never loses the audience’s attention and frequently has them giggling at humour which verges on the crude and puerile, without ever going beyond the boundaries of taste.

While Mills is perhaps better-known as a breakdancer, this production steers clear of flashy tricks while still showcasing his command of several styles of dance and his ability to combine them. The production is slick and seamless and contributes to a perfectly-judged production