The Cost of Living
DV8 Physical Theatre

"They did it." That was my impression of the work when I first saw it in Montreal in 2005.
The film, Lloyd Newson' s directorial debut and his fourth film for DV8, carries out a distinctive and well thought-out aesthetic. Being specific yet inspiring various ideas at the same time, DV8 pursues its interest in how two primarily visual media, dance and film, can enhance on another. I contacted them immediately after returning from the trip, very much hoping to introduce the film in Japan, and it turns out to be an earlier release on DVD than in England. Dance enthusiasts, not to mention fans of theatre, movie, visual art, music, and filmmakers should watch this work.
(Yasushi Kishimoto / Dec. 2005)

Story
"The Cost of Living" was shot on location in Cromer on the Norfolk Coast in England: a typical, old-fashioned and faded seaside resort. The summer season has petered to an end and an air of desertion hangs over the town. Eddie and David are disillusioned street performers. Eddie is tough, confrontational and not afraid to defend his belief in justice and honesty. David is a dancer who has no legs; watching him makes you reconsider accepted notions of perfection. He is quietly determined not to let his disabilities or society's prejudices get in his way. A series of inter-linking scenes shows how Eddie and David negotiate life, fall in and out of relationships and survive day to day.
DV8's work is about taking risks. It is about personal politics, about breaking down barriers between dance and theatre, and above all, about communicating ideas and feelings clearly and unpretentiously. The company tells stories through extended naturalistic movement in a radical yet accessible way, shunning linear narrative and rejecting the traditional conventions of ballet and modern dance. It also challenges notion of dance by demonstrating how expansive and individual the medium can be.
DV8 produces films as well as their stage work. Their award winning films include "Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men", "Strange Fish" and "Enter Achilles".

"The Cost of Living" has won numerous awards including:
Prix Italia 2005, TV Performing Arts, Milan
Rose d'Or 2005, Arts & Specials, Lucerne
Sette Jury Prize, International Festival of Films on Art 2005, Montreal