The Future Softly - Summer Nights

Reviewed by Hannah Goodman

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The Future Softly is a fresh and poignant performance of contemporary dance, part of The Blue Room Theatre’s Summer Nights program and Perth’s Fringe World 2026.

Choreographed, produced and performed by Jo Omodei, The Future Softly deconstructs the ebb and flow of emotions we navigate through life, tackling the multiheaded monster of love, and how it affects us in life’s many beginnings and endings. I note here that this review is based on my own interpretation, as I believe most audience members would have walked away with a slightly different self-made synopsis of this piece. 

Strong lines and soft shapes were woven into an improvised choreography spanning 40 minutes. I admired Jo’s ability to be so dynamic in her choreography, even when she kept her feet firmly planted in one spot – conveying so much through facial expressions and a corporeal melting/revival. Repetition of the choreography in each section gave a chance to digest the abstract nature of this performance, like tracing lines in the sand until the final image is clear. Jo demonstrated strong technique; I particularly liked her use of the small space in The Studio at The Blue Room Theatre, still managing to include some impressive floorwork, though this was difficult to see at times, given the positioning of the seating relative to the stage.

The atmosphere ranged widely in this short performance – from a warm busyness to a sombre and dark loneliness. This was achieved through a marriage of the choreography with precisely timed alterations to the lighting and music (Matthew Erren, Natasha Pearson) to support what felt like complete set changes into different realms of transcendence. Simple props, such as a hairbrush, lipstick and a costume change, temporarily brought the audience back to Earth with a reminder of the more tedious aspects of daily life. 

Something often hidden from the audience is how physically demanding dance can be – but we were on this journey with Jo the whole way, and she leaned into this, as the audience sat with her during quiet moments of respite and recuperation that is often done off-stage. There was a rawness and vulnerability to these moments that fit perfectly with the narrative of The Future Softly, perhaps referencing the fleeting moments of meditation we may have to ourselves every now and again, before getting caught up in the fast-paced world again. 

Not many results are returned when the “dance and physical theatre” filter is selected for Perth’s Fringe World, and The Future Softly makes me excited that these kinds of works are being produced by local creatives and presented in programs such as Summer Nights and Fringe World. There were only three shows of The Future Softly, but keep an eye out for future work by Jo Omodei. 

Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the production company.