Dinwiddie's "Accursed," itemized

The Accursed Items, choreographed by Andrew Dinwiddie (of Catch! fame), continues its elusive ways tonight through Saturday at Ontological-Hysteric Incubator, St. Mark's Church. This new evening-length work was created with a capable and attractive cast and features music by The Hey!, text by J. Robert Lennon, lighting by Frank DenDanto III, sets by Angrette McCloskey and costumes by Wendy Yang.

It has a strange appeal that has much to do with its origins in impossible-to-place outtakes and castoffs from the experiments of other choreographers, and the way the audience's visual and aural attention is split among multiple intriguing sources of stimulus. The source dancemakers' trash turns out to be cash, if you will, for Dinwiddie, who has a good eye and ear for the kinds of things and people that will lull us, frustrate us, irritate us and beguile us. If you think that veering between being unable to make out what a performer is saying to hearing entirely too much from one or another of them, welcome to The Accursed Items.

I most liked the warm, glowing lighting and the color-coded set/costume details: white for the opening section; later, green, then black. Without telling me a lot, these visual elements told me quite a lot. And, on the other hand, nothing seemed terribly important, and everything seemed somewhat important. The milling about of various inexplicable beings--what's up with the man on crutches?--and the happily-produced movements that looked like the equivalent of doodling are all tossed into and stirred within Dinwiddie's big stew pot of deterioration.

Worth a look. Check out the ticketing information at Ontological or call TheaterMania at 212-352-3101.