Fonty

Oh, yes, I get so angry with people who say they have managed to stagger in to work in spite of the very bad flu they are suffering, as if they expect a round of applause for being so selfless. As everyone who has ever experienced the real thing could tell them, if it was flu, they would be unable to move very far, let alone attempt a day's work. I had to be helped to the loo when I was suffering, I was too weak to make it on my own. I didn't realise there was link between the pill and migraine, but it doesn't explain what causes it in men. My father suffered terribly, and he had to go to bed and lie in a darkened room for two days to get over the attacks. Fortunately, it usually only happened once or twice a year, but he could never pin point what triggered it off. He was told to keep a food diary, but nothing seemed to be the obvious cause.

At this time of year, I find myself wondering whether any company will think about bringing back a Nutcracker with a child of the correct age as Clara. I know it is a long time ago since anyone did that, and possibly it was only ENB that did so(?). But I often think it jars to have an adult Clara cavorting around in the first act like a child, especially when surrounded by real children. I know that having the adult Clara allows for some of the gorgeous music to be used for some "proper" dancing, but the last time I saw any Nutcracker (some years ago, I admit), even the proper dancing was rather limited in Act 1.

Wow, some really interesting comments on here. The trouble is, the posts are so long, I am having trouble picking out the relevant bits that I want to respond to! First of all, I enjoyed Bruce Wall's posting. I agree that there is much to be excited by at present, and I look forward to the future. Secondly, while I normally agree with most of what Floss is saying, I am a bit puzzled by the following: "It is difficult for a company with an extensive historical repertory. It has to decide whether to update and rework them at regular intervals while proclaiming that they are entirely the work of the original choreographer, the route taken by Russian companies, or, it can try to hand the tradition on. This was the route generally taken by the Royal Ballet in its first fifty years or so. It is difficult to pinpoint precisely when it all started to unravel. Perhaps it was Dowell's need to accommodate Guillem's wish to do everything her way based on her view that she was far more important than a mere choreographer which was when the rot set in." Now, I was a great fan of Guillem. I appreciate that she wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but I saw her in all the classics, and she made me see them with fresh eyes. I think she was one of the best Giselles I ever saw, and I loved her in Swan Lake. Yes, she pushed those extensions up to the rafters, but on her they felt natural. I never saw Makarova, but the little clip of her in SW that Bruce posted on a new thread looked ravishing, and maybe if I had seen her live, I would not have noticed the slow tempo, but would have revelled in the performance. Both Makarova and Guillem are recognised as being amongst the greatest dancers of their generation I don't know enough about the former to make any comment about her, but Guillem was unique, a one off. I think the problem partly came about when those that followed her attempted to copy her. They latched on to certain aspects of her technique, and attempted to imitate her style, but they didn't possess her artistry and talent.

Very amusing, Bruce. I am still wondering how she managed to cover up her late arrival on stage in Swan Lake. I have visions of her head peeking up above the stage, while the rest of her remained hidden!

When I was trying to post a link to another website the other day, I used the handcuff link as that is the one I would normally use on websites, and it simply didn't work. I just gave up in the end! It may, of course, have something to do with Youtube and the links I was trying to post. Some of them are a little temperamental, to put it mildly.

I've noticed that a lot recently on the ROH website. It is most annoying!

And such a shame that the dancers of today don't seem to take much notice of them, if a good many of the modern day interpretations are anything to go by. Do the taller dancers dictate the speed? If so, this is surely entirely wrong. I thought that the RB has always had a mix of heights, as far as the female dancers are concerned, and surely we are back to the frequently repeated comment that the right person should be given the role, rather than adjusting a role to suit the chosen person's capabilities. If the role requires speed and nimble footwork, it seems very odd that there is nobody in the ranks capable of producing that. And if there isn't, then there should be. It is a very interesting story, and I can't believe that a tiny dancer like Cojocaru could not dance it at the same speed as the dancers who created the roles. I hope whoever they said it to briskly told them to get on with it, and stop being such wimps! It seems to me, from the clip of her in Voices of Spring above, that she was revelling in the slower speed, because it enabled her to adopt the stretch-to-extreme-and-hold style that all the dancers seem to enjoy doing now. I would go so far as to say that it looked self-indulgent.

Whenever I've seen La Bayadere I've always come away vaguely disappointed, feeling I ought to have enjoyed it more. I would love to see the BRB version. Any idea where and when they will be performing it?

I think that sums up exacly how I feel about a lot of the dancing I have seen in recent years.

Sorry, I am struggling with the links. I can't seem to be able to put an imbedded link without the picture. This is the best I can do, if someone else wants to do them please go ahead!

Floss, in response to your post, I have a couple of questions. First of all, wasn't it Gailene Stock who introduced the "Russian style" of training to the RB? I've put it in quotation marks because I am not quite sure what the Russian style is, nor am I clear about what style the RB used to teach before. However, wasn't it as a result of this that the RB dancers started to do the very high extensions? Secondly, try as I might, I can't find any clips of Merle Park dancing the Sleeping Beaty on Youtube. Do you have a link? However, doing my search, I did throw up a very interesting clip of Merle Park dancing the Voices of Spring, dated 1983, with Wayne Eagling. I have never heard of this before, but apparently they were the original cast for this piece by Ashton. I also saw, on the same Youtube page, a link for Cojocaru and Kobborg dancing the same piece, which makes for a fascinating comparison. I did a little experiment, ran the two clips together, and as far as I can tell, the Cojocaru/Kobborg version is a full 30 seconds slower. As the piece is less than 5 minutes long, I find that quite amazing. Also, although I am a huge, huge fan of Cojocaru, I definitely prefer the original.

Good idea for a thread. I travel a lot abroad, but there are loads of cities in Britain that I have never visited, and I have made up my mind to have a short trip to at least one of them each year. I went to Liverpool for the first time two years ago, and was amazed at what a handsome city it is. We had a great time, and we even had splendid weather. When we took a ferry across the Mersey, we got sun burnt! Well, who thinks to pack suntan lotion when you are going up north and rain is forecast? I have never been to Manchester, so that is next on the list. Edited to add I have never been to Sheffield, Hull, or Belfast either. Any tips gratefully received!

I have the DVD of the original 1960s Nureyev Nutcracker, with Nureyev dancing with Merle Park. I know others have said that it seems very complicated and difficult, particularly the 2nd act PDD, but I like it very much. I like the way none of the music is wasted. I remember my mother talking about this production, and how she saw all the main couples dance. Her all time favourites were Sibley and Dowell, but she said she very much enjoyed Beriosova in this production. I've got a feeling she also mentioned Doreen Wells as being very good as well. Edited to add that none of the productions I have seen have ever done a SPF variation that I actually enjoy!

That is the first time i have ever heard of highway employees listening to the people. Normally, they just take away the bus stop. I would like to nominate a name for Room 101, if they have not already been nominated. Nigel Farage. Do I need to give my reasons?

Shame that the truly horrible wig is still in place for the SPF.

The portions are rather large! Sometimes I go there and have just the pudding, see a show, and have a bite of something savoury afterwards.

Alison! How could you not like apple crumble and custard in the Cafe in the Crypt? One of the great pleasures on a cold winter afternoon.

Goodness, David! You don't have to read any particular thread if you feel it has no further appeal for you. But it IS about the McGregor triple bill; therefore I would expect people to be expressing their opinions on that topic. Speaking personally, I am finding the thread both interesting and entertaining.

The council responsible for the place where I grew up (Banstead, in Surrey) is putting forward new plans to "modernise" the High Street, which currently is used a lot by locals. This is because it has things such as a library, day centre, church institute, and community hall, as well as attractive old buildings with shops below and flats above, houses, and restaurants. Oh, we even have a pub. Their plan is to knock all the non retail buildings down, including the library, and build lots of new blocks of flats with ground floor retail space. They say this will "revitalise" the High Street. As they plan to build over the only existing car park, I can't see who will be using it. It will simply kill off the entire High Street.

I think you have completely missed the point I was making, Varnatus.

I haven't noticed that the McGregor programmes have attracted a particularly young crowd. I have seen more young people, and children especially, at the more traditional triple bills. I suppose it depends on where you sit. I have no problem with the RB performing new works, and tackling something in a more contemporary style from time to time. And I also have no problem with their dancing a piece by McGregor. While it is perfectly obvious he is not my personal favourite, I have seen two or three pieces by him that I have enjoyed. I am not so narrow minded that I cannot watch something new and different. There are quite a few Balanchine ballets that are not to my taste either. And that is tantamount to sacrilege in some quarters! The issue I have is with McGregor's appointment as the resident choreographer. Apart from anything else, he will be the person that the next generation of choreographers will be watching and learning from. And that is the real problem I have. His style is hardly the one to watch,in order to create a new work in the classical style, however many dancers he puts in pointe shoes.

I find myself wondering what Monica Mason was thinking when she appointed Wayne McGregor in the first place. Was it bums on seats? I know nothing about his history prior to his RB appointment. Did he have a huge following already? Was the thinking that a new audience, who had never visited the Opera House before, would walk through the doors and find out that ballet was really not as highbrow as they thought? I do hope that it wasn't some sort of pressure from somewhere, that said that ballet wasn't relevant to young people today, and the RB needed to "modernise" in order to appeal to the next generation.

Presumably they will be bringing this Giselle back to London at some point?

It is not that far down, Alison. A very short walk. I don't know what it used to be before. It is quite small, and it may have an open courtyard at the back. I went last winter, so I didn't look outside, but I have a vague memory of what might have been french doors at the back.

I had an excellent meal in Miz en Bouche in St John St. They do a pre theatre menu, but I can't remember how much it was. Moro is pricy, not the place for a quick meal. It is lovely though (or it was the last time I went, several years ago.)