Pina Bausch: Palermo Palermo

“The title might lead you to expect a travel guide in the Italian city but this filmed version of Pina Bausch’s 1989 production is unlikely to make you think of going on your holidays. From its startling opening moments which I won’t spoil to its final hints of spring and rebirth, this Palermo is a state of mind, a place where decay sits side by side with more carnal appetites and something life-affirming rises from the ruins. It is rare to have access to a full Bausch show on-line and this one includes all her signature tropes as well as familiar themes such as cruelty, sensuality, humiliation and such tenderness.”