|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Theatre listings > Company – Rambert Dance Company – Company Website. Artistic Director – Mark Baldwin Constant Speed - Choreography - Mark Baldwin. Music - Franz Lehár. A Steel Garden - Choreography - Christopher Bruce. Music - David C Heath. Curious Conscience - Choreography - Rafael Bonachela. Music - Benjamin Britten. Full Production details & Dancers - here . Venues and Dates - Tour details. Seen to review at Edinburgh Festival Theatre on 23 November 2005. Run Time – Run Time – Two hours with two intervals. Reviewer – Vivien Devlin. Extremely diverse repertoire. It’s a rather strange anomaly - Rambert Dance Company is the oldest dance company in Britain yet renowned for its innovative, ground breaking work. From 1926 to the present day, from ballet to modern dance, it has always broken boundaries and challenged perceptions of movement, music and design. This extremely diverse repertoire of new works is of particular interest as all three choreographers have each played an integral part in the creative development of the Rambert company. Mark Baldwin has been its Artistic Director since 2002 and Constant Speed is his first new work in that role. Commissioned by the Institute of Physics, it celebrates the scientific theories of Albert Einstein in this, the fiftieth anniversary of his death. “Human Beings, vegetables or cosmic dust – we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player” commented Einstein, which became Baldwin’s starting point in this colourful, boisterous and energetic expression of movement, speed and light. To live accompaniment of selected merry tunes and waltzes of Franz Lehar, it starts slowly and gracefully as eight female dancers in white dresses and wigs, swoop and glide in ever increasing circles. Then an ensemble of male dancers, dressed in tight red leotards against a red lit backdrop, seem to depict the strength of light, heat and the atoms and molecules of life. The high energy is complemented by some beautiful quiet duets. As a giant glitter ball descends, a chorus of dancers in multicoloured costumes rush on, swirling around the universe to the elegant tempo of Lehar’s Gold and Silver Waltz. It’s a clever and witty neo-classical modern ballet encapsulating the tradition and ethos of the Rambert style. Unfortunately the new work by former Artistic Director Christopher Bruce fails to deliver in choreographic or performance values. The setting for The Steel Garden is a series of suspended tubular bells and two giant drums. A couple dressed in yellow and red sarongs wander through this forest of steel trees, jangling the bells as they move slowly. Three more couples enter the “garden”, banging the drums and bells in haphazard fashion to create a cacophony of noise. With no dance rhythm it’s more slow movement like a tribal dance. Then the orchestra comes into play with the slow and haunting Celtic tune, “Dawn of a New Age” by David Heath, featuring a solo soprano sax. The mood swiftly changes with jarring piano chords and the garden transforms into a threatening jungle. The whole piece is overlong and tedious and gave me headache. Spanish born Rafael Bonachela joined Rambert in 1992 as a dancer, later graduating to associate choreographer. The narrative behind Curious Conscience is based on Benjamin Britten’s “Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings” on the theme of sleep and dreams. Written in 1943 for Peter Pears, the sung poems by Blake, Keats and Tennyson reveal a dark undercurrent of sadness and loss. A chorus line of eighteen dancers in black mesh shorts and vests take part in what seems like physical exercises and gymnastic jumps and tumbling turns. Lighting is brilliantly executed with a white gauze screen to create the dancers’ black shadows. The tenor, Peter Van Hulle sang with a sweet mournful tone – but was hidden down in the Pit - perhaps he could stand on stage as the songs were such a vital part of the performance. A curious but absorbing piece featuring neat athletic-style choreography to highlight the skills of this young energetic company. ©Vivien Devlin, 23 November, 2005 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Production Details- Music performed by - London Musici. Conductor - Paul Hoskins. A Steel Garden. Choreography - Christopher Bruce. Music - David C Heath. Costume designs - Marian Bruce. Lighting design - Malcolm Glanville. Dancers - Angela Towler Hubert Essakow Amy Hollingsworth Martin Joyce Mikaela Polley Alexander Whitley Robin Gladwin Gemma Wilkinson. Curious Conscience. Choreography - Rafael Bonachela. Music - Benjamin Britten Serendade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. Tenor - Peter Van Hulle. Solo Horn - Kevin Elliott. Production design - Alan Macdonald. Costume design - Robert Cary-Williams. Lighting design - Lee Curran. Dancers - Lucila Alves Clara Barberá Amy Hollingsworth Patricia Okenwa Mikaela Polley Pieter Symonds Melanie Teall Angela Towler Gemma Wilkinson Simon Cooper Hubert Essakow Robin Gladwin Thomasin Gülge ç Dane Hurst Martin Joyce Cameron McMillan David Mack Alexander Whitley Renaud Wiser. Constant Speed. Choreography - Mark Baldwin. Music - Franz Lehár. Music arranger - Benjamin Pope. Set and costume designs - Michael Howells. Lighting design - Samantha McNern. Dancers - Lucila Alves Clara Barberá Amy Hollingsworth Patricia Okenwa Mikaela Polley Pieter Symonds Melanie Teall Angela Towler Gemma Wilkinson Simon Cooper Hubert Essakow Robin Gladwin Thomasin Gülgeç Andrew Hurst Martin Joyce Cameron McMillan David Mack Alexander Whitley and Renaud Wiser. Rest of Tour Details of Rambert 2005 Tour in the autumn. 23 – 25 Nov at 7:30pm Edinburgh Festival Theatre 0131 529 6000. 30 Nov – 3 Dec at 7:30pm Plymouth Theatre Royal 01752 267222. Tour ends
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|||