Jan McNulty

Don't know for sure but suspect he won't be able to claim for the holidays.

I've got a dreadful confession - I forgot to bring my badge to London with me for this weekend! Sorry folks...

It means it's another way for him to make even more money! Who cares anyway? Football is no longer a game.

Nitin Sawhney With special guests Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang Royal Albert Hall, SW7 Wednesday 2 November 2016 Performance: 7.30pm Tickets: £25 - £60 Ticket Office: 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com / 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and composer Nitin Sawhney will perform a one-off show at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 2 November featuring music from his new album Dystopian Dream. For this unique performance Sawhney is accompanied by singer Joss Stone and a host of other special guests, including hip hop duo Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang performing new, specially-commissioned choreography, in the first ever co-production between the Royal Albert Hall and Sadler’s Wells. Sawhney, a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist, has collaborated with the likes of Paul McCartney, Sting, Anoushka Shankar and Ellie Goulding, creating a succession of distinctive, groundbreaking works – and November’s concert may be his most ambitious and remarkable yet. Lucy Noble, Director of Events at the Royal Albert Hall, said: “Nitin Sawhney is a phenomenon and a true original – a producer, songwriter, DJ, multi-instrumentalist and orchestral composer with a truly unique musical voice. He is, simply, incomparable. This special, one-off show will bring his latest vision to the world’s most famous stage in truly arresting fashion, fusing music and dance for what promises to be a truly unforgettable event.” Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive Alistair Spalding said: “I am delighted to be co-producing this performance by our Associate Artist Nitin Sawhney with the Royal Albert Hall. Nitin is an eclectic creative talent and his latest album Dystopian Dream further demonstrates his versatility and virtuosity as a composer, musician and producer. It is also exciting that talented dancers and choreographers Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang are performing as part of the show. The combination of their movement and Nitin’s music make this an evening not to be missed.” Sawhney’s work in theatre and dance includes the scores for Complicite’s A Disappearing Number and Akram Khan’s Zero Degrees, both of which won Olivier Awards, with the latter earning him a New York Performance and Dance Award for best score. Other collaborations with Akram Khan include Confluence for the Svapnagata Festival; Bahok for the Royal Ballet of China; Vertical Road; and iTMOi - part of the Rite of Spring centenary celebrations at Sadler’s Wells. He also worked with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui on a Sadler’s Wells Production based on the life of Manga artist and animator, Tezuka. Sawhney has also created work for the immersive Sadler’s Wells Production No Body, which receives its world premiere in June; a multi-installation experience which combines all the elements of a successful dance performance – lighting, sound, projection – but without the physical presence of dancers. He has made several sold-out previous headline appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, last selling out the venue in 2014, as well as featuring in the BBC Proms. The November concert marks Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang’s Royal Albert Hall debut. French hip hop choreographer and b-boy Ramirez is known for the finesse and emotional impact of his dance style. He works worldwide with dancers from different cultural and chorographical backgrounds. Wang is a choreographer and dancer born and raised in Germany by Korean parents, her style rooted in hip hop with influences of martial arts and ballet. She studied ballet for 10 years in Frankfurt before dedicating herself to the hip hop techniques of b-girling and newstyle, as well as working in contemporary dance. Together, their urban dance roots have grown into a unique style blending hip hop with contemporary influences, with nods to ballet and martial arts. The duo’s choreographic language is often referred to as urban Tanztheater and has won many accolades, including the Outstanding Performers Award at the Bessies for their appearance at Breakin' Convention at the Apollo Theater, New York in 2013. Their other awards include the Special Jury Award at Dance Delight in Osaka in 2009, and the 1st Prize and Audience Prize at the International Choreography Competition of Hannover in 2012 for their collaboration AP15. Most recently the pair worked with Breakin’ Convention to present Boardline, a work for six performers at Sadler’s Wells in 2015. Full programme details to be announced. Nitin Sawhney is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist A Royal Albert Hall and Sadler’s Wells co-production Notes to editors Listings information Nitin Sawhney With special guests Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang Royal Albert Hall, SW7 Wednesday 2 November 2016 Performance: 7.30pm Tickets: £25 - £60 Ticket Office: 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com / 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com ABOUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL The Royal Albert Hall is the world’s most famous stage. Over the past 145 years, it has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Edward Elgar to The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Adele. Last year, its breathtaking auditorium presented 388 events by the world’s greatest performers – taking in rock, pop and classical music, dance, films, Cirque du Soleil and even tennis – with the magical setting and inspired artists creating amazing memories for audiences. Opened in 1871 to fulfil Prince Albert’s vision of a central hall to promote the arts and sciences, the Hall is a registered charity that remains true to his founding ambitions within a modern context. It hosts over 400 events a year in its secondary space, the Elgar Room, and beyond, broadening the Hall’s appeal to incorporate younger and more diverse audiences. Its Education & Outreach programme reaches more than 150,000 participants each year, working with schools, young people and the community, as well as other charities such as Music for Youth, as part of its extensive public benefit remit. ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and two International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through research and development, running the National Youth Dance Company and a range of programmes including Wild Card, New Wave Associates, Open Art Surgery and Summer University. Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

London for 1984 at Sadler's Wells (must remember to take my badge!).

I don't usually watch this programme but happened to see it at a friend's last night. There seem to be a lot of different dance groups. I thought Shannon & Peter did very well to be in the top 3 - but I wish that man with the dangerous act had not been voted through. Surely anything so dangerous that it had to be filmed earlier (presumably in case of accident) should not be allowed.

I didn't see the Ferri/Schaufuss performance but I did see and have never forgotten the Khalfouni/Ganio one! The ovation went on for so long the programme way over-ran and I nearly missed my train home!

OK, I'm putting my rabid Northern Ballet Fan hat on here. I'm really excited about this ... a new ballet by Kenny Tindall is always an experience ... and the company are coming to The Lowry. My cup runneth over with joy!!!

Thanks for the report Petunia. It sounds as though it was a good performance - I loved Jewels when I saw it at ROH a couple of years ago.

Northern Ballet brings history’s greatest lover to the stage with the World Première of Casanova Northern Ballet is to bring history’s most notorious lover to life with its new ballet Casanova. The internationally acclaimed company will transport audiences to decadent 18th century Venice, telling the sensational story of the infamous Italian adventurer in a seductive masquerade of passion and politics. Commissioned by Artistic Director David Nixon OBE, Casanova will be the first full-length ballet by award-winning choreographer Kenneth Tindall. Its World Première will take place at Leeds Grand Theatre on 11 March 2017 before touring to seven UK venues in spring 2017 with further venues to be announced for autumn. The fiercely intellectual Giacomo Casanova leads a controversial life consumed by his desires. He dabbles in careers as a scam artist, violinist, alchemist, spy and church cleric but with a penchant for gambling and women, his exploits lead him into a whirlwind of scandal and excess leading to imprisonment and exile. A true story so sensational you won’t believe it’s real - showing Casanova is so much more than the infamous lover we know. This major new World Première will be choreographed by Kenneth Tindall, who was most recently nominated for Best Classical Choreography and the Emerging Artist Award at the 2015 National Dance Awards. In addition to creations for Northern Ballet and other international organisations including John Neumeier’s Bundesjugendballett and English National Ballet’s Emerging Artist Competition, he recently collaborated with celebrated artist Linder Sterling and the British Art Show on Children of the Mantic Stain. With an acclaimed creative team, Kenneth Tindall will co-create the scenario with actor, dramatist and historical biographer Ian Kelly, author of the 2008 Sunday Times Biography of the Year Casanova. The production will be set to an original score by modern classical, film and television composer Kerry Muzzey. Sets and costumes will be designed by Tony and Olivier award winning Christopher Oram, whose recent credits include Hughie for the Booth Theatre, New York and The Winter’s Tale for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company at the Garrick Theatre. Lighting will be by Alastair West whose Northern Ballet credits include Giselle, I Got Rhythm, Jane Eyre and Kenneth Tindall’s Luminous Juncture and The Architect. Kenneth Tindall’s previous credits for Northern Ballet include one-act ballets Project #1, Luminous Juncture and The Architect. Kenneth said: ‘I am thrilled that my first full-length ballet will be with Northern Ballet, a company that holds a special place for me. Casanova lived a life far richer and stranger than most fictions and the physicality, theatricality and energy of his exploits make him a perfect subject for the stage.’ David Nixon OBE, Artistic Director at Northern Ballet, said: ‘I am delighted to give Kenneth the opportunity to create his first full-length ballet with the Company where he spent the majority of his performing career and where he first began to choreograph. Casanova’s story is one of sex, romance, intrigue and scandal and I am looking forward to surprising our audiences and challenging the idea of Casanova as nothing more than a prolific lover.’ Casanova will tour to Leeds, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Norwich, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Salford and London in spring 2017. See northernballet.com/casanova for details. -ENDS- Notes to Editors Production Credits Choreography Kenneth Tindall Original Scenario Ian Kelly and Kenneth Tindall (adapted from Ian Kelly’s biography of Casanova) Music Kerry Muzzey Set & Costume Design Christopher Oram Lighting Design Alastair West Casanova – Tour Dates Leeds Grand Theatre (World Première) 11 – 18 March 2017 Box Office 0844 848 2700 leedsgrandtheatre.com On general sale 1 June 2016 Edinburgh, Festival Theatre 23 – 25 March 2017 Box Office 0131 529 6000 edtheatres.com On general sale 30 May 2016 Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre 28 March – 1 April 2017 0114 249 6000 sheffieldtheatres.co.uk On general sale 18 June 2016 Norwich Theatre Royal 4 – 8 April 2017 01603 630 000 theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk On general sale 16 August 2016 Milton Keynes Theatre 19 – 22 April 2017 0844 871 7652 atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes On general sale 6 June 2016 Cardiff New Theatre 25 – 29 April 2017 029 2087 8889 newtheatrecardiff.co.uk On general sale 8 June 2016 Salford, The Lowry 3 – 6 May 2017 0843 208 6000 thelowry.com On general sale 1 June 2016 London, Sadler’s Wells 9 – 13 May 2017 0844 412 4300 sadlerswells.com On general sale 7 November 2016 Northern Ballet For more details of Northern Ballet's tour, on sale dates and booking information, please visit northernballet.com/whatson. Voted Best Company at the Taglioni European Ballet Awards and nominated for Best Company at the 2015 National Dance Awards, Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s five large ballet companies. Based in Leeds it performs throughout the UK as well as overseas. Northern Ballet’s productions mix classical dance and theatre, embracing popular culture and taking inspiration from literature, opera, or giving a unique interpretation of popular classical ballets. Northern Ballet is the busiest touring ballet company in the UK and is typically on the road for around 32 weeks of the year. The Company of 46 dancers tours a combination of full-length new work and established repertoire to cities throughout the UK. Northern Ballet also tours widely with its specially created ballets for children, all of which have beenadapted for TV by CBeebies, and also performs a mixed programme showcasing the versatility of its dancers.

There is a graphic hanging scene in Michael Pink's Hunchback of Notre Dame, created for Northern Ballet. It never bothered me but I suppose it depends on how it is done.

Couldn't agree more! Bruce and I often have differing opinions but on this we are as one!

I agree with what you say, except for your final sentence. I have, before now, heard people groaning when they have seen there is a 2 page synopsis of a narrative ballet in a programme. They are most off-putting. In most of the cases I am thinking about, the ballet has actually been quite easy to follow. For myself, with an abstract ballet, I can watch the dance for the pleasure of watching the dance without needing to know the inner workings of the choreographer's mind.

Yes it is all about money these days for the owners. They expect results and are impatient if they don't come. There is no such thing as loyalty or giving someone enough time to bed down. So LVG had a different style of management and expectation ... it does not mean to say that if all concerned had pulled together and given each other a chance that in another season or 2 things might not have improved. They were not given that chance ... as you see so often in most premiere clubs these days. Don't forget that SAF had a very rocky time in his first 4 or 5 years, but he was allowed to progress with the club and came good in the end. At the end of the day, if LVG has still not formally been told what is happening and there has been no official announcement then he is being treated very shabbily indeed.

Don't understand what you mean by frustrations of other fans Lisa. It's got nothing to do with frustrations - I just believe that LVG has been treated shabbily and that football has been ruined by money.

I hope so! Don't forget 1984 opens at SW on Tuesday. I'll bring my newly acquired badge at the weekend!

But it is wonderful for the game of football in general that some other teams are getting some glory. And how long had LVG been in charge - 2 years???? Football is no longer a game; it's only about winning and money - not watching a game with pleasure. Leicester City winning the premiership is the best thing to happen for football in years! I personally think that LVG has been treated somewhat shabbily and I am sure this treatment will have taken the gloss off winning a major trophy for the club.

That's the pattern of midscale Alison - they do the children's ballet during the day. It's Tortoise and the Hare this year.

Hello LMDancer and welcome to the Forum! Good luck to your DD.

Alan Young has passed away at the age of 96. I loved him as Wilbur in Mr Ed and reading his obituary he seems to have been just as lovely in real life. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36348905

Hello Nick and welcome to the Forum!

Neighbour's party still going on when all I want to do is go to sleep!

I took Chunkydog out for an evening constitutional when I got home from my fab day out at The Hepworth. We spent some happy minutes watching swifts and martins swooping over the smaller lake at Crosby Lakeside. Happy days...

Well I was rooting for Crystal Palace. Perhaps if I had been rooting for MU, CP may have won!

Lindsay, you make some interesting points but this discussion thread is about Frankenstein rather than RB's commissioning policy. As the discussion is interesting perhaps you may wish to start a new thread so that the discussion is not lost in the mists of time.