Patt

And for Alice: http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/alices-adventures-in-wonderland-by-christopher-wheeldon Interesting to see Claire Calvert scheduled to dance Queen of Hearts!

Thank you, Janet!

Wow I felt compelled to post after last night’s Manon! The evening began rather shakily, given the almost last minute cast change, but ended up being such a thrilling and emotional night! In the first pdd between Manon and Des Grieux, I don’t think I was the only who felt worried for the dancers as there were uncertain moments with the partnering. A lift that should have soared looked tentative, for example (understandably). The bedroom pdd improved slightly, though it left me wonder how they were going to cope with the tricky pdd in Act 3! But amazingly everything just soared from there. Zenaida Yanowsky is such an incredibly expressive dance-actress, her characterisation is layered and detailed, her dancing grand and sumptuous. She had amazing charisma, which projects up to the amphi. In Act 2 she was absolutely gorgeous, a Manon revelling in her sensuality. Her Act 2 solo was just mesmerising. The detailed interactions between her and Will Tuckett’s lecherous, brutal GM at the table added so much to the story. In Act 3 her Manon emerged looking completely broken from inside out. Her naturally regal bearing was gone and she was utterly believable as someone dying from consumption. The scene with the gaoler (the always excellent Gary Avis) was disturbing beyond words. I had no idea what she and Matthew Golding did between Act 1 and 3 but they completely went for it in the swamp pdd, even managing the tricky lifts and spins! Unlike in Act 1, I was completely swept away. Yanowsky looked completely wiped out and Golding was holding her up during their first curtain call. When she didn’t make the rest of the curtain calls, I was worried that she may have injured herself. But she did make the red run curtain calls to receive the much deserved cheers (apparently she had severe cramps and couldn’t stand up by the end of the ballet!) Golding had a super tough job replacing Roberto Bolle at extremely short notice, and one suspects that he did as well as he could under the circumstances. I did feel that he was putting more and more dramatic details in Des Grieux’s solos as the evening progressed. Yanowsky appeared very appreciative of him at the red run curtain calls, which was touching to see. Carlos Acosta seemed completely at home as Lescaut. The drunken pdd with Laura Morera had great comic timing! In fact, the entire supporting cast was excellent.