The Chair formed the main part of C-12 Dance Theatre’s programme, but the short opener, Enough, deserves more than a quick mention. Choreographed by Adam Towndrow, this striking piece (pictured) explores the trials of living with a burden. It begins with Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster staggering onstage carrying Luka Owen, who is wrapped round her in a complex hold. Clearly, and symbolically, she is a burden; but as it turns out the two women are equally burdensome to each other. In this intense piece they are like Siamese twins who have been separated, but, although they hate it, still need to be closely linked. They clash, struggle, appear to have found calm; but it’s an illusion. Finally Deakin-Foster drags the body of Owen from the stage. It’s a powerful work, and Adam Towndrow told me that is has also been performed by two men, which I imagine would be equally effective.

The Chair centres on a prisoner (Nasae Evanson). In his cell he is beaten up by his guard, played with an icy stare by Kimberly Clarke. Evanson is a powerfully built man and you wonder how he can let a woman do this to him, though to be fair Clarke is pretty tough herself. But Evanson’s gentle, sensitive face reveals that he not one to risk greater punishment by rebelling. Indeed it’s this man’s face, so expressive, so quick to flit from one emotion another, that gives this work such poignancy. Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster gives another strong performance as his mother, as does Luka Owen as his girlfriend.

Both are allowed in to visit, and both seem torn between anger and tenderness as they try to come to terms with his predicament. The oppressive atmosphere is lightened at two points. While the prisoner sleeps we see his curious dream; three white-masked puppet ghosts, (a quick costume change here for the three women), dance a jerky, jokey jig around his sleeping form.