In Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality,
Sigmund Freud describes the first phase of a child’s psychosexual
development as “cannibalistic pregenital sexual organization,” popularly
known as the “oral stage.” During this period, which is said to occur
between birth and the age of two, the child focuses on receiving pleasure
via the mouth. According to Freud, children overindulged or neglected
during this stage may develop neurotic oral fixations that manifest as
talking, eating, drinking, and smoking too much.
Smoking does not occur during Comedy Dance Collective’s CDC in 4-D
, and neither does time travel. But an excess of noise and humor that
primarily focuses on dancers eating are the primary characteristics of this
show. It is also probably better consumed in a state of inebriation.
Directed by Carisa Barreca (who also performed in the Hubbard Street/Second
City collaboration The Art of Falling), CDC in 4-D is one
skit clambering on top of the next without consideration for logic of any
variety. These include pseudo balletic swans horrified by the fauna that
frequent Lake Michigan, a sleeping couple vying for space in their bed, a
gardener on stilts zealously misting her plants, and the aforementioned
dances about food, glorious food: a woman ravening after pizza, a man and
his bag of chips, someone making a milkshake to (of course) Kelis’s
“Milkshake,” a ritual staged around opening a bottle of Dr. Pepper, and so
on. This makes the sudden eruption of solid Irish step dancing by twins
Megan and Teresa Leahey shine even more. “Most people dance only when they
are drunk,” remarks company member Sarah Barnhardt. Guess why. v