The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works, Spring 2015

[Jan McNulty]

Woolf Works opens tonight.  I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

 

Please use this thread to tell us what you think of the performances.

[alison]

Well, we are now less than an hour away from the premiere of the most hotly anticipated / debated / dreaded (depending on your point of view) work in the current Royal Ballet season, so for the benefit of those of us who have effectively been banned from attending the first night (or who have chosen not to go), please use this thread to record your reactions.

[alison]

Oops, all great minds think alike, Janet!

[SPD444]

I must be the first back. Having been very unsure what I would be able to make of this I have to say that it was a wonderful night. It will not appeal to everyone but for me, on a non technical level, the experience was overwhelming, Wayne is not the easiest choreographer to like but he is able to show emotion. Add to this a fantastic score, the mix of technical and orchestral was just beautiful. the lighting,costumes, use of film as a backdrop, laser beams flashing. Fantastic. I have never read any Woolf and I have to thank the couple sitting next to me who explained the context of each of the three acts. Anyone who is going do a bit of homework and it will mean much more. Soooooo pleased I went. All the dancers were fabulous so I won't pick out anyone in particular but a lovely mix of principal and lower ranks dancing their socks off. The cheers rang out and well deserved. Its different - but give it a go.

[zxDaveM]

We had the dress rehearsal on Saturday, so here are a few pics. Loved it, can't deny - the only thing amiss for me were the gold lamé pantaloons in the middle section and the lack of light!
 
 
I Now, I Then: Federico Bonelli, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Alessandra Ferri, Francesca Hayward, Gary Avis
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr
  

Becomings: Eric Underwood, Sarah Lamb
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr
 

Tuesday: Alessandra Ferri, with company dancers
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

See more...
Set from DanceTabs: Royal Ballet - Woolf Works
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr
By kind permission of the Royal Opera House

[Duck]

_{Just a quick note tonight & hopefully more to follow over the coming days. It's absolutely glorious.}

 

_{Dancing in parts 1 and 3 with movement vocabulary that I can't remember having seen from McGregor previously, and part 1 beautifully illustrating past and present relationships and emotions between the protagonists. Superb duet by Watson & Dyer depicting Septimus' traumatic experiences, I was close to tears. Part 3 opens with a voice reading Woolf's suicide letter to her husband, so incredibly moving. Movements by the corps repeatedly in the form of waves.}

 

_{Stunning costumes, part 1 showing 1920s style, part 2 Elisabethan in gold and black in various combinations. The music beautifully supports the atmosphere of the different parts.}

 

_{Standing ovation in the orchestra stalls.  Comments on twitter are euphoric. I hope that based on tonight's performance, the remaining tickets will be sold quickly.}

 

 

_{(edited to adjust font size)}

Edited May 11, 2015 by Duck

[SPD444]

Great pictures zxDaveM - what on earth were they wearing on their heads in the third act. Looks like a cage of some sort, we were sat in the stalls circle so a bit far back.  What a great night.

Edited May 11, 2015 by SPD444

[zxDaveM]

I think it depicts waves - a bit like the trails of foam left after a waves breaks. That's my guess anyway, as I have no inside info.

 

and thanks for the kind words!  :-)

[alison]

The Act III costumes rather remind me of Carbon Life

[annamk]

I think some of the Act III choreography might remind you of Carbon Life too

[Bruce]

I thought there was much to commend in Woolf Works not least McGregor's continued move to more ballet based movement and working with the grain of the company.

 

The first and last acts were full of interesting movement and the first particularly had a Kenneth McMillan feel. It's an act I feel I really want to see more and understand more. The last act - the suicide - is incredibly moving and well done. The middle act is, I think, more what people associate with McGregor - lasers, tech and contortions. I rather feel like the first and third acts are the guts of it and in the second act we all go off to the circus as a diversion. It might be that with time I appreciate act 2 more - it's a thick programme that may provide illumination, though I tend to detest McGregor programme notes for often providing endless clever, clever frustration rather than clarity. All up though I came away rather exhilarated by the fusing of old and new and doing it rather tastefully - great costumes and an impressive Max Richter score too.

 

And then there was Alessandra Ferri - She's still got it.

[zxDaveM]

as I really liked Carbon Life, this isn't a bad thing!

:-)

:-)

[Bleaden94]

This is the first review I've seen for it, gave it 5* ! 

https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2015/woolf-works/

 

I wish I could make it down to London to see it, the twitter reactions make it sound amazing!

[Guest]

Does the fact that Bill Boyd put 4 tickets on sale last night tell us anything?

[Bruce]

Does the fact that Bill Boyd put 4 tickets on sale last night tell us anything?

It would seem to say that Bill didn't like the show. One view and it would be nie to see it articulated. Glad he did 'cos I'm buying one!

 

I guess some broad view will emerge over the run - here, critically and in the wider world.

[Bruce Wall]

A better balanced review perhaps - http://londondance.com/articles/reviews/royal-ballet-woolf-works-royal-opera-house/

[annamk]

I had mixed feelings about it. Last night I thought I wouldn't want to see it again but now I think I will. These are rather random thoughts .... As with most McGregor there was plenty of striking imagery, I enjoyed the score and the lighting was incredible. Within each of the three very distinct parts I didn't feel that the choreography said anything notable to me about VW but then I'm not familiar with her writing - TIP it's vital to do some background reading beforehand. Part one was more neoclassical style choreography - old & young Virginia and friends attractively kitted out, engaged in a sequence of pdd around three giant moving wooden picture frames artfully lit with a back drop of video film. I wish I had known what the Watson/Dyer pdd represented at the time because it just left me rather puzzled. I found the 30 minutes it a bit boring, maybe I didn't feel the choreography told me anything about the characters, maybe I needed to understand what was supposed to be happening - it didn't help that the cast sheet didn't attach names to any dancer ? I'm interested in Bruce's comment about Kenneth MacMillan feel to this because my friends who were sitting much closer were really moved by this act whereas in the Amphi the reaction was quite muted.  Act 2 is much more traditional McGregor choreography, plenty of fast movement and contortions. Some utterly ghastly costumes I guess supposed to reflect the cross dressing Orlando. The laser lighting was the star of this part - from above it was amazing ! It could almost stand on it's own as part of a triple bill though and again it didn't communicate anything about characters it was just a spectacular showoff piece. Act 3 reminded me of Carbon Life. Lots of the "class" style choreography - were the corps supposed to represent waves ? There was an enormous video projection with wave imagery. Again I found the choreography just a tad repetitive and boring. There was a standing ovation in the stalls which I thought was hard to justify but my friend said she had to stand up because the people in front of her and she couldn't see ! It will be interesting to read the reviews. I haven't mentioned dancers by name because everyone looked excellent. Anyway, it's a huge improvement on Raven Girl in every respect.  

[aileen]

Ok, what preparation should I do for this ballet? I don't have time to read three VW works before I go. Can anyone give me a rough outline of the 'plots'.

[alison]

The ROH webpage has links to summaries of each, so I'd start there.

[ferrylights]

Here goes my brief and very amateur 'review' of last night....I had no idea what to expect last night, the only McGregor I have seen in real life has been Qualia, and the DVD of Chroma. The first Act was, in my opinion, just perfection. I got goosebumps about 5 minutes in, and was moved almost to tears, especially during Ed Watson's bit towards the end. It was just beautiful, with a real narrative- I couldn't look away. Alessandra Ferri is just such a quality dancer and I am so happy I was able to see her. 

The second Act was probably the weakest for me, I heard someone during the interval describing it as a bit too German disco, with all the laser lights and skimpy costumes. It felt very long, though it was the same length as the others. The costumes didn't really hit it for me, though I understand they correspond to the time travelling gender bending aspect of Orlando. The final Act was beautiful, but got a bit too samey for me after Federico and Alessandra's pas de deux (which was lovely). 

I am slightly shocked it got a standing ovation, mostly because I've never seen one at Covent Garden before, but feel it was very deserved on Alessandra Ferri's part, she was just pure magic. I will be going back again to see the second cast, mostly due to how in love with the perfect first act. 

[John Mallinson]

In today's links there are two strikingly positive reviews plus photos, an interview with Ed Watson, and a feature on Woolf and astronomy too.

[Bruce]

Re the standing ovation in the stalls, I'd describe it as respectable enough in numbers but by no means universal. It was odd the way it happened as well - a handful of people, mainly at the back, stood at the start of the curtain calls, but throughout many of the calls for the dancers, people were seated. Certainly there was much clapping and clear enthusiasm for all on stage, not least Ferri. It was only when McGregor and (I think) 10 other creatives filed out on stage that there was much stamping from some in the stalls circle and then clumps of people stood up and the clapping continued. As I said not everybody did - McGregor is not a choreographer for all.

[Bruce Wall]

Fantastically 'Becoming' photograph by A. Muir heads the ES WW review: http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/royal-ballet-woolf-works-royal-opera-house-laser-beams-and-warpspeed-choreography-10243403.html  It gives a certain polished lustre to the idea of McRae as a haloed golden boy

Edited May 12, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[Lindsay]

Well! I'm pretty neutral on McGregor generally and find him a bit samey but this was quite different. The first intelligent, "grown-up" work I've seen commissioned at the ROH in my 20 years of on-and-off attending. It helps that I love Virginia Woolf's work but, even for those who don't know it, this captures the spirit of her modernism in conveying IDEAS rather than narrative. So don't get hung up on plot or on names of characters and dancers - that is to miss the point. Edward Watson conveying the agony of a suicidal man doesn't need a back story. Neither does a punk, gender bending middle sequence or a lesbian kiss or a suicidal woman playing with children. Just be open minded and go with it. But if you want to read a couple of chapters of the Waves for atmosphere and an idea of what Woolf was about, all her stuff can be found online for free. And if you are a determined McGregor hater there is loads of it for you to criticise. Something for everyone

Edited May 12, 2015 by Lindsay

[alison]

Thank you, Lindsay.  I particularly enjoyed your last sentence

 

Although it does beg the question of what was the last "intelligent, "grown-up" work" you saw commissioned at the ROH.

[Lindsay]

Sorry Alison - I realised that was misleading after I typed it.  I meant to say in the 20 years I have been going to the ROH; it was an egotistic measure....

[alison]

That's a relief: my mind immediately went back to Mr. Worldly Wise

[Fonty]

I am quite relieved that there have been some positive comments about this. 

 

I actually bought a ticket some time ago, on the grounds that at least I would get a chance to see Ferri dance, even if I hated everything else.

[Sunrise]

I agree, I'm very glad that it sounds like there's much to commend about the production and particularly the music (my biggest issue with most new work). Look forward to hearing much more.

[Kate]

Loved 'I Now, I Then' (Mrs Dalloway inspired) -the set design and costumes were simple yet beautiful and I thought all the cast in this section were superb. Ferri lived up to the hype giving a nuanced and heart rending performance- even when she stood still it was difficult to take my eyes off her. Hayward and Stix-Brunell  worked very well together but I do have a slight caveat in that McGregor seems to be great at male/male duets but much more hesitant and less confident with female/female duets not just here but in all of his works the feminist in me wishes he would work to develop the latter more. The feminist in me did approve of the tender kiss between Haywward and Ferri, nothing salacious but nice to see only  the 3rd sapphic embrace of the ballet stage (Les Biches and Pita's Dream Within A Dream being the only other 2 that i know about but happy to be corrected!) For me Now I, Now Then, was the strongest choreographically and dramatically of all three, I wish it were longer. McGregor proved here he can choreograph for characters and a narrative, I hope it will encourage him to perhaps do more of that.

Becomings (Orlando inspired) was the most disappointing of the evening -it could do with losing about 10 minutes and generally needed tightening up -the section towards the end when they gather in large circles and the dancers take turns in the centre looked a mess and as though he'd run out of time/ideas. It opens with the whole (very impressive) cast spread across the stage in a variety of different futuristic Elizabethan style costumes but these costumes weren't really incorporated into the choreography as much as i had hoped. There are several great quotes from Orlando in the programme where Woolf talks about people being dictated and changed by what they wear, so I had hoped that the changing costumes of the cast would alter the movement styles of the dancers but no matter what they wore the movement was the same. Also it was a bit heavy on the female dancers being moved and manipulated by the male dancers- towards the end i wanted to yell 'Just put her down for goodness sake!" Ospiova needs no one to make her body do incredible things. And again the male solo and group male dances were much more inventive and energised than the women's section. The lighting was fantastic and was a key part of the set, to be honest it was my favourite part of Becomings (that and Eric Underwood taking his curtain call in a McQueenesque gold Elizabethan dress). 

Tuesday (The Waves) was a suitably moving and poignant  end to a premier of much promise. I -like Dave M was secretly  hoping for Gillian Anderson to be there reading the letter in the flesh but it worked oh so well as a voiceover/introduction to this section/ Loved the costumes (especially the headpieces which looked amazing from amphi) and had some really lovely moments choreographically  with the corps de ballet but to me it wasn't quite as strong as the opening Act. Max Richter's score , superb throughout, really got my heart racing in this final act and i really hope that it will be recorded and released on CD (or even vinyl).    

Overall I don't think it will convert anyone who doesn't like McGregor but I do think it will repay repeat viewings if you go with an open mind. I fear it might be one though that rewards certain seating more than others - I was up in the amphi whereas usually I prefer SCS but I am worried the latter might suffer from this staging. Would love to know what others think. 

[RuthE]

Just out of curiosity, does anybody know whose voice the solo soprano in the score of Tuesday (The Waves) is?

[Sunrise]

Also it was a bit heavy on the female dancers being moved and manipulated by the male dancers- towards the end i wanted to yell 'Just put her down for goodness sake!" Ospiova needs no one to make her body do incredible things. 

 

[Bruce Wall]

You know a work is worthy when it achieves an extreme range of cultivated opinions.  In WW's case that's everything from a five star Guardian to a two star Daily Telegraph ... and that's even before CC comes out to bat.  Odds on he's good for at least one.  

Edited May 12, 2015 by Bruce Wall