Sharp Teeth

Presented by Dynamotion

Sharp Teeth is a surreal, high-energy dance theatre work exploring love’s bite—tender, brutal, and absurd. From the creators of Dynamotion, expect a collision of bold visuals, comedy, and heartbreak.

Sharp Teeth, presented by Dynamotion, is a vivid, high-energy plunge into the strange emotional territory where love becomes playful, dangerous and occasionally absurd. It is dance theatre that thrives on surprise, shifting constantly between humour and intensity, sweetness and chaos. Lara Fischel Chisholm and Tom Sainsbury have created a world that feels like a collage of impulses, stitched together with movement, music and a mischievous sense of theatrical invention.

The performance does not follow a traditional storyline. Instead, it unfolds as a chain of short, self-contained pieces, each exploring a different facet of connection. Romance, longing, conflict, celebration and loss all appear, but never in predictable ways. The show treats love as something that can change shape without warning. A moment may begin with softness, then twist into something sharp, then dissolve into comedy. This unpredictability becomes the heartbeat of the work.

From the opening moments, the ensemble establishes a bold physical presence. The performers move with confidence, throwing themselves into choreography that ranges from tightly structured to loose and expressive. Dynamotion’s style has always blended dance with character-driven humour, but Sharp Teeth leans further into surreal imagery. The performers slip in and out of personas, shifting tone with ease. The result is a piece that feels alive, constantly reinventing itself.

Lara Fischel-Chisholm is the anchor of the ensemble. She carries a commanding presence, guiding transitions and shaping the rhythm of the show. Her movement can be crisp and mechanical one moment, then fluid and emotive the next. She has a way of holding the stage that keeps the group connected, almost like a conductor keeping the orchestra in sync. Her determination gives the work a strong core, especially in sections that require precision.

Tom Sainsbury brings a different flavour. Known for his comedic instincts, he leans into physicality more than in past Dynamotion works. His dancing has sharpened, and he commits fully to the surreal tone of the show. He adds levity without undermining the emotional beats, and his presence helps balance the shifting moods.

The rest of the ensemble adds texture and variety. Batanai Mashingaidze handles the more soulful pieces with ease, grounding moments that might otherwise float away. Nomuna Amarbat brings flexibility and warmth, her smile instantly lifting the atmosphere. Sean Rivera mirrors that joy, clearly relishing every moment onstage. Harrison Keefe contributes strong physicality and raw power, even when his featured sections lean toward simplicity. Together, they create a group that thrives on contrast.

One of the strengths of Sharp Teeth is how it embraces the differences in technique among the performers. This is not a show built on strict synchronisation. Instead, the choreography uses staggered patterns, mirrored shapes and sequential out-of-phase movement to create visual interest. The variety of styles becomes an asset. You can see the differences in footwork and posture, but the staging ensures those differences enhance the piece rather than distract.

The music selection is eclectic, moving from classic rock to crooner ballads to electronic beats. Elvis, Smashing Pumpkins, Pink Floyd and club anthems all appear. Each vignette has its own soundtrack, giving the show a sense of constant reinvention. The choreography adapts cleverly to each genre, sometimes leaning into rhythm, sometimes resisting it. One of the standout surprises is how the team manages to make grunge rock music danceable, crafting routines that feel natural even when the beat is unconventional.

Props play a major role. Dynamotion has always been inventive with objects, but Sharp Teeth pushes that creativity further. Pool noodles, streamers, masks, torches, and simple set pieces are used in multiple ways, transforming from symbols of joy to symbols of chaos depending on the moment. The props help build metaphors without ever feeling heavy-handed. Birth, death, romance, conflict and absurdity all appear through clever staging choices.

Lighting design by Sam Mence adds sharp visual punctuation. Bright beams cut across the stage, creating strong contrasts and framing the performers in striking ways. The lighting is bold, sometimes almost overwhelming, but it suits the heightened world of the show. Combined with haze and strobe effects, it creates a sensory environment that feels immersive and slightly disorienting, in a way that matches the surreal tone.

The pacing is fast. At just over an hour, the show moves quickly, with little downtime between pieces. Because there is no traditional narrative, it can be difficult to sense where you are in the arc. There is no midpoint, no climax, no clear ending point. Instead, the show feels like a party that keeps reinventing itself. Each vignette could be the last, but when it ends, you are happy to stay for one more. The lack of narrative structure becomes part of the charm. It keeps the audience suspended in a state of playful uncertainty.

The emotional tone shifts constantly. Some pieces are hilarious, leaning into Dynamotion’s signature character comedy. Others are strange and dreamlike. Others are unexpectedly moving. The show does not try to explain these shifts. It simply lets them happen, trusting the audience to follow. This trust pays off. The emotional variety keeps the show engaging, and the surreal framing allows the performers to explore themes without becoming sentimental.

What Sharp Teeth captures best is the feeling of love as an unpredictable force. Love can be ridiculous. Love can be frightening. Love can be tender. Love can be destructive. The show embraces all of it, presenting love as something with sharp edges and soft centres. It is not a moral lesson. It is not a cautionary tale. It is a celebration of the messiness of human connection.

By the end, the show leaves you with a sense of exhilaration. It is not a structured classical piece. It is not a traditional dance show. It is a chaotic, joyful, surreal collage of movement, music and emotion. It is entertaining, inventive and full of personality. Whether you are drawn to technical dance, comedic performance or experimental theatre, there is something here for you.

Sharp Teeth is Dynamotion at their most imaginative. It is bold, strange, heartfelt and fun. It leaves a mark, just like love itself.

Performances run from 21 Jul - 25 Jul 2026 at the Q Theatre. Purchase tickets here

Review written by Alex Moulton