Nothing To Lose

It would be dishonest to deny the fact that the very spectacle that this show’s creators were perhaps hoping to avoid was indeed its principal fascination. Because Nothing To Lose is more intriguing than riveting, we are ultimately left to ponder the private theatre of our own responses to the sight of fat people dancing in their underpants. 

To say that acclaimed dance theatre director Kate Champion’s Force Majeure swansong is a ‘freakshow’ would be a tad too garish, but to pretend that it does not rely on the very preconceptions it seeks to question or usurp would be to err too greatly on the side of politeness. 

Although it lurches perilously close to worthiness, Nothing To Lose has its funny and powerful moments. Champion and her collaborator Kelli Jean Drinkwater aren’t squeamish either. They confront us with prejudice, sexuality and the guilty secret of dance: that it loves skinny above all else. 

That said, this isn’t truly a dance piece, simply because there is no genuinely interesting dance anywhere to be seen. The ‘size’ of the ensemble cannot disguise this fact. However, there are clearly crowd-pleasing moments here and an undeniable sense of euphoric expression. Combine this with slick production values and enough light and shade to ensure momentum and you have a fascinating, if somewhat upbraiding experience.