Jan McNulty

I think they are still trying to dry the theatre out! My friend was laughing at me because I ended up with panda eyes from runny mascara on Saturday...

My loooong weekend was utterly fabulous!!! Apart from seeing NB's wonderful Swan Lake a major highlight was seeing the Peregrines that perch on the spire of Norwich Cathedral. In the hour we spent looking through the scopes set up by the Hawk and Owl Trust we saw Mum then Dad preening and swapping places on the nest. You can't see the nest but there is a live webcam at the moment. There are four eggs and they will hopefully hatch this week: Link for the webcam: http://upp.hawkandowl.org/norwich-peregrines/norwich-cathedral-peregrine-live-web-cam-2016/

So sorry to hear about your Dad Julie. Sending hugs to you all. Jxx

Maybe they grow!

Hello Trockodile and welcome to the Forum! I can't answer your question but hopefully other members will be able to give you some feedback.

Yes, but I think they wanted to use the acronym!

Here's a short film with some rehearsal extracts and an interview with Hannah Bateman. I can't wait for 19th May!

I have just come across this via twitter. It is aimed at dancers who have graduated in the last 2 years. http://www.dancebase.co.uk/professional/apply-for-the-201617-debs-programme-590

This wonderful news has been posted on the Central School of Ballet website: http://www.centralschoolofballet.co.uk/news.php

According to another member of the forum, Colin Towns Mask Orchestra has some of the best jazz musicians in the world! They certainly sounded wonderful, as did Echoes of Ellington. I too loved the "jamming" in the interval. I can't wait to see the full performances again this summer.

My friend and I came home from a superb weekend in Norwich, enjoying four performances of Swan Lake. I really love this production! It fits the current NB roster like a glove and the standard of performance has been spectacular! On Thursday evening I finally caught up with Joseph Taylor as Antony with Giuliano Contadini as Simon, Abigail Prudames as Odette and and Ayami Myata as Odilia. It has been a joy watching Joseph develop as an artist over the last couple of years and this has been his best role so far. As well as dancing beautifully you could see every thought passing across his face. His interactions with the other dancers were very intense and utterly believable. It was also the first time I had seen Abigail as Odette - she was a total delight. Her head and neck movements were particularly fine. Ayami Myata and Giuliano have continued to grow into their interpretations. All in all, it was a scintillating performance to start our extended weekend. On Friday night we had another powerhouse performance from Javier Torres' cast. Saturday afternoon's cast was Jeremy Curnier as Antony, Ashley Dixon as Simon, Antoinette Brooks-Daw as Odette and Abigail Prudames as Odilia. The waves of emotion coming off the stage took my breath away. I was in tears after the white act adagio, in the duets between Antony and Odilia and then Simon in Act 3 and was in floods by the end. Jeremy is another dancer whose career I have enjoyed watching and Saturday afternoon was the best performance I have ever seen him give. His duets with Ashley were particularly electrifying. For me this was the most emotional performance of the weekend and one I shall long remember. Saturday evening's stellar cast was Toby Batley as Antony, Giuliano Contadini as Simon, Martha Leebolt as Odette and Hannah Bateman as Odilia. What can I say... well I could say a lot but will just say it was sublime! It was wonderful to see the glorious performance of Hannah as Odilia, back in a leading role after injury - she was divine. Her embarrassment in act 1 when she realises Antony does not share her feelings was delicious. The Neapolitan in act 2 was, as ever, a highlight. Kevin Poeung and Matthew Koon were nano-second perfect together and so exciting to watch. I also enjoyed Riku Ito/Jeremy Curnier and Matthew Topliss/Ashley Dixon. All the dancers looked as though they were having a ball in the party scenes. The lady swans were exemplary throughout. It is the final week of Swan Lake in Milton Keynes this week - how I wish I could be there!

As far as I am aware, but nothing is on the website so I can't remember how I know, it is The Tempest and a mixed programme of Wink, Moor's Pavane and Shakespeare Suite. The Lowry and Plymouth are getting The Dream instead of Shakespeare Suite, which I assume is because the Royal also do The Dream. Here is a bit more detail about the mixed programme, which is being shown in Birmingham in June: https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/shakespeare-triple-bill

It was the Othello segment from David Bintley's Shakespeare Suite which is being seen in full in Birmingham in June and (I think) as part of the season at Sadler's Wells in October. The music is Duke Ellington.

I was at the Lowry on Tuesday night and enjoyed the programme tremendously. Looking at the cast sheet it looked as though there were three short pieces in the first act but in fact all three pieces (Schubert, Sad Case and Some Other Time) ran together as a whole. I very much liked the opening duet and the final section, which were both quite stark. The middle section was based around mambo music and was fun but, in my opinion went on too long. Like Terpsichore I felt that Gregory Lau stood out amongst a company of wonderful dancers - he's got terrific stage presence. Clug's Mutual Comfort was the least satisfying piece for me but it was still good to watch. Solos could only be described as sensational! I agree again with Terpsichore that it was the outstanding piece of the evening. The evening ended with Cacti. I can't find the words to describe it except to say that it was tremendous fun and a real crowd pleaser on which to finish. This company is so worth seeing - you must get to one of their tour dates if you can!

Quite right TP! I still miss Vicky Marr tremendously, such a wonderful actress and she had a great on stage rapport with Tyrone (Fortuna especially...)

It was me!

There is a thread on the performances seen/general discussion forum where members are asking if it would be possible to have a badge so people could identify fellow forum members when at events: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/12342-balletcoforum-badges/ Please put your comments on that thread by following the link.

Congratulations to your DC! Thanks for sharing.

Round and red!

Richmond on the outskirts of London.

A Youtube film has been released of Cathy Marston talking about Jane Eyre and showing some rehearsal footage with Hannah Bateman and Javier Torres:

Don't forget Elisha Willis and Tyrone Singleton from BRB are performing Othello from David Bintley's Shakespeare Suite too.

They were there last year with Perpetuum Mobile/Butterfly so will know the theatre from that.

I've just seen an article in respect of Victoria Wood (I've posted a link on her memorial thread) which says that BBC R4 has been analysing BBC obituaries and they have posted a lot more this year than last.

Guardian obituary: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/apr/20/victoria-wood-obituary Telegraph article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/21/victoria-wood-spent-final-hours-telling-jokes-to-her-children/ Philip Schofield pays tribute via The Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/phillip-schofield-pays-tribute-victoria-7802043