DV8 Essay

If you’re looking for something that can leave you speechless and after watching something can leave you in a shock from the way a certain company perform, DV8 defiantly shows that.  Lloyd Newson the choreographer, founded the group and DV8 was established in 1986. The company has toured internationally and nationally plus they have completed 19 highly renowned dance pieces.  DV8 Physical Theatre is an Arts-admin associate company and also are a member of Dance UK and ITC. 

In my opinion, DV8 is a strange but, unusual company based on performances I have seen online.  Through "the company’s work’s it’s all about taking risks and breaking down barriers between dance and theatre."  As a company, they do create some unforgettable body movements through the interpretation of dance which is something Newson likes to do. Newson interprets a clear way of the typical British lad culture in modern day times. It's through stereotypical perspectives of the male sex, male's behaviour and especially male relationships.

Throughout the performance I feel like Newson would ask us 'Why should it be acceptable for someone who does footwork around a football but, not acceptable for someone who does footwork in dance?'  I will review why the choreographer would ask us that but, explore the benefit of movement and techniques.

Men in pub during the lad culture

'Enter Archilles' is displayed to us as showing a surreal but, a way that is displaying masculinity or the appearance of the way they show it.  It looks on issues of the society at that time where it was about the lad culture.

The character who speaks out a lot for me is the young lad who wears the superman costume.  He conveyed a different side of the lad culture and the way he was but, he looked the same as all the other men from his appearance.  As soon as he started to dance, the other lads "allowed" him to show the way he behaved.

However, this showed homosexuality at this time was not acceptable because men had restricted themselves to "masculine ways." Then the scene of his feminine side is all of sudden crushed when other male characters don't like the idea of the way he was moving by doing pirouettes and graceful movements.

The sad man's tenderness for the doll - film version

The blow up doll is a metaphorical woman. The tenderness that a sad man in bed makes love and is caressing the doll.  However, he's happier with the doll because he doesn't reply to the phone call which I think someone wanted to date or be with him.

The climax changes later on in the play when one of the guys find out what that sad guy has been up to then brings it into the pub.  The doll is thrown about a lot but, seems the other guy don't really have feelings for woman and just want the woman for sex.

The doll being thrown about in the air by the other men

It gets worse when the guys look like they are punishing the doll with a beer bottle  just because they feel like it's a real offence and it's sounds like some sort of crime has happened.

Some of the lads sing 'I vow to thee my county,' it's a hymn but, originally a poem.  The first and second verses refer to the UK and also when the sang to those who died in the first war.  The may be a war between the lad culture and the tenderness side which led to this event but, they end up laughing about what they have done afterwards leaving the sad man to mourn.

When he holds the doll which is deflated and broken, he still tries to caress it but, his tenderness is still there and he struggles to think because of what others think of him at the time. Also we're sure if he really wanted something to just caress or he actually wants to be with a woman. I feel like he's not like the other lads but, if that was a real woman he would lose her due to his other friends in the lad culture. Deep down I believe he's scared of what happens next if he does date a woman and what will the men think of him them probably the same when he was will that doll.

The point is working class males in this country can't relate well to each other or to woman. In a way, you may argue that there was only one specific emotional meaning which seems quite negative and shown in the play in a different way.  Each of the men is allowed for him to have a distinct personality and how vulnerable they really are.  The theme of this play is filled in with strange surreal comedy but, odd interruptions of physical excitement and enthusiasm e.g. when the superman guy joins in, in a contest based on dance.

The men in the pub with abdications aka the alcohol 

Their main focus was on the pints and it was like their life source, something they all shared.  The pints are a symbol of the weakness and clarity for the men. Sometimes you had them swimming in the alcohol enjoying themselves this shows greed that they are using something they take for granted too much.

If you get greedy then you'll have the want for more and the way it showed that men didn't care about anything but, alcohol. It was something that would always be there and to have.


It proves to show society in Newson's own response to homosexuality but, men more specifically. He's showed how men all act in this way, it has shown a true impact of the lad culture. In order to be a man, they feel like they have someone e.g. a stereotypical guy to look up on and that's the image that every man should be like. This play showed in depth the look of men where us as an audience maybe confused whether to laugh or to be serious about it.