penelopesimpson

Phew! Relief all round!

Anyone know the impact of Brexit on......the price of sprouts?????!!!!!!

I don't think you are correct about that. Watson has been in a lot of productions/performances these last two seasons, although he did not appear as much last year. If you compare his output I think you will find he is in the top league of performances given. For several years he hasn't done the Prince-type roles that others do. Are Golding and Kish still injured?

I thought it was quite a lot of performances for a non-narrative ballet. Booking patterns are odd, aren't they? If you look at Mayerling, most of the more expensive seats have gone but the Ampitheatre remains wide open with the exception of the Watson performances.

Watson winding down. Awful thought.

Is it my imagination or is this being somewhat slow to sell?

Well said, Scheherezade. The huge difference between Polunin and Nureyev is that the latter had staying power and was prepared to put in the grunt work that goes with being a dedicated dancer. You are quite right that Nureyev also had other things going for him: he defected, he was exotic and his pairing with Margot Fonteyn gave him a new dimension. I appreciate that there are many fans of Polunin out there and, indeed, I used to be one of them. I was at ROH on the night his departure was announced and I remember saying to a friend that RB should have done everything they possibly could to accommodate him, he was so fabulous. But time has changed my view somewhat and I cannot help but feel that what he really wants is fame and fortune but without the hard work. This is very much in tune with the times when people want to be famous for being famous, but Polunin was and is so talented that he would genuinely have deserved it and it is in sorrow that I write that I think he has wasted his talents. And yes, I stand by everything I said about disfigurement. The human body is a beautiful thing, the more so when it has the athleticism and muscle structure of a trained dancer. To cover it with writing and ugly drawings (which he says himself he does to give himself a high which lasts two days) is, for me, sacrilege. I think it looks absolutely hideous and is more unattractive in a dancer whose body is on display more than most. And yes, I agree with those who say he has done little in the way of developing himself since he left RB. Its all a project here, a start appearance there and, most ridiculously, his life story. Mostly these works are not lauded for their dance content; people go because he has cultivated the image and I doubt that that will last.

Why on earth would we want someone 'poached' from another company when RB has such wonderful talent in its ranks? And yes, people do rave about Naghdi - for good reason. She is quite exceptional and deserves to be a Principal. I for one hope we don't see too many outsiders coming in to guest for a while - unless for reasons of injury etc. KOH has nurtured home-grown talent and more power to him for doing so.

Hmm. Horribly sad to disfigure ones body in that way And 'driven to distraction by his art and fame' What, at 21? I think he will look back in years to come and think what a waste, what a mess

Sergei Polunin - news and discussions It strikes me that the title of this thread rather neatly sums up Mr. Polunin at present

I also thought her Giselle was sublime

You can say that again! But a rather wonderful one....

Looking at the Seating Plan, does anyone know what a Super Seat is?

Good god! That was one awful film

The big difference being that John Wayne couldn't act whereas Natalia can dance!

Thank you so much everyone. The only one I know is Vishneva whom I saw in AK which I enjoyed and thought she was incredible. Will definitely go for the Bayadere 'dream team.' Have tickets gone on sale yet?

Any other ladies - I know so little about the Marinsky

I would much appreciate some advice. I can afford two visits so have decided on Swan Lake and Bayadere, mainly because I've seen Anna Karenina and don't enjoy DQ. I know it is hard to be exact about casting, but any recommendations as to whom I should look out for? I like my ballet lyrical, Cojocaru and Asylmuratova being my absolute favourites.

I don't think I mentioned 'sub species of low life.' I simply said that I found the audience different and with other priorities than mine which is to see exceptional dance. My worst experience which was the last visit of the Marinsky, I was in the Stalls Circle and the parties of ladies who particularly irritated were all British.

Ooh, fabulous. I am assuming Swan Lake and praying that we won't see Fille again for a little while.

I can't answer that other than to say that I have more or less given up going to see the Marinsky or Bolshoi at ROH because the audience annoyed me so much. Okay, I may have been unlucky but people taking pics, selfies, fiddling with their phones so they could take surreptitious shots, etc. just got my goat. It is expensive to go to ROH and, for me, with a long commute, my visits are special occasions which I treasure. I know I shouldn't let it get to me but it does. I also realise that I can't dictate who goes (!) but ... All of which is a convoluted way of saying that IMHO the audiences for the guest companies are completely different to that which RB has.

He has but it is a little easier for a musician to perform 'alone' even if that means guesting with orchestras or creating his own band, than it is for a dancer. Whilst most of us would have turned up to see Nureyev recite his shopping list, he had a huge body of work behind him and was clearly dedicated to dance. I certainly think that Sergei Polunin should do whatever makes him happy - clearly he hasn't the temperament for the daily grind that is an artiste's lot within a company. If its tattoos fine, if he wants to be an engine driver, again, fine. But for my money what he needs to do is stop blaming the world for his failure to find satisfaction. Dance is what it is and whilst I am sure that conditions for dancers can always be improved, I don't really want to be continually lectured on the failure of the system by an artiste, however gifted, who has failed to find his niche in an art form which I love.

I am with you, Nina G. I have seen him dance and he was wonderful, but I think RB would need to think very hard before taking him back in anything other than a guest spot. From what I can read Mr. Polunin has a lot of growing up to do before he can be considered for joining a company where, as you say, daily discipline and dedication are the creed by which they must live. I am beginning to find him somewhat boring now and wonder if he sees himself playing the artistic rebel when he is in his forties? I cannot see that he has progressed in any way since leaving RB and there may be limited opportunities for him in the future.

BMC I feel exactly the same. I only saw Polunin live twice and was impressed on both occasions. His decision to leave RB in the lurch and without warning annoyed me, but I put it down to his youth and hoped and hoped that ultimately he would find his way back to ballet. Right now I have come to the conclusion that what he really wants above all else is stardom - without putting in the time. Yes, the bad boy image is overdone as those who have seen him just being himself attest, but if he doesn't cultivate this persona, what else is there? It is not exactly as if he has a huge body of past work to testify to his achievements. I struggle with celebs who write their autobiographies in their twenties and this film has elements of that. Whatever, I wish him well, but where is he to go now?

Hurry - some tickets have just gone on sale for 2 and 11th Watson performances!