M’ap Boulé, The Q and Performing Lines, 8 August

 

M'ap Boulé is Haitian Creole for "I'm on fire", and performer/writer Nancy Denis is indeed a firey powerhouse of a performer - punchy, physical, moving with beauty and wit as she tells of her background as a child of Hatian imigrants, raised in Australia and confronting the society in front of her with no apologies and no quarter given. With the assistance of songs written by the late Carl St Jaques, rap performer Kween G Kibone and musicians Victoria Falconer and Jarrad Payne, she brings us into her story, along with a quick lesson on the history of Haiti, some light choreography, a few costume changes and even some non-threatening audience interaction. She's a charming presence and her show is a fine vehicle for her skills as a performer. 

There's some strong use of Maitê Inaê's set, an intimate circle full of candles and with a dominant rough-cloth-full moon circle at the back for projections, bring us into the space with Denis and her team - it's a show that cuts deeper than it might because of Denis's charm, meaning she can bring in quite confronting topics of race, culture and the effects it has on a young woman while keeping the connnection with the audience and bringing us along on her journey.