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Gerda Taro was the first female photo-journalist to report from the messy ends of major wars, but, thanks in part to her association with legendary lensman Robert Capa – whose name her work was often sold under – never really got the recognition she deserved.
This smart and ideas-packed show from up-and-coming troupe Idle Motion certainly goes some way to putting things right. The pair’s story is told across two plains – separated by several decades – following both Capa and Taro on their journey from wannabe snappers to front-page regulars, as well as the efforts of Capa’s brother, Cornell, to recover a lost set of negatives.
The history’s a bit wonky in places, but faithful where it matters, with an impressive amount of ground covered in Kate Stanley’s snappy 80-minute production. A basic set is put to smart use, with projection and creative lighting wringing the most out of a limiting space.
The show’s regular physical elements are its most memorable, and serve as more than mere transitions between scenes. From a flirty dance with a roll of film to interpretations of frontline conflict that see bodies bouncing off each other, there’s a beautiful fluidity at play that wonderfully echoes the photographer’s knack for extracting beauty from the mundane and the horrific. A fitting tribute executed with bags of flair and invention.