bridiem

8 hours ago, Roberta said:

Current difficulties with staging La Bayadere can be found in this article from last year.  It is a brave AD who gambles with the adverse publicity and possible demonstrations when faced with accusations of religious insensitivity.  In Wales, it was cancelled.  https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/cardiffs-new-theatre-drops-culturally-25631887

Well let's hope there are some brave ADs around.

20 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Having renewed my Friends subscription I took the opportunity to ask if Ashton casting would be published before booking opens - 20 February for me but I imagine already open for Patrons. I was told Ashton casting is still changing and that casting will be published as soon as possible. The reply continued: ‘We do not wish Patrons to book for a certain cast which will then not reflect who dances in that performance.’ I don’t know if that means it’s better not to publish anything in case it’s wrong but I think I’d prefer to see something even if it ends up not being 100% correct. Surely we accept that casting information is based on best available information and casting can change?

So they seem to be saying that the options are a) booking blind (and risking getting duplicate or less preferred casts) or b) not booking at all until the casting has been published. Neither satisfactory, from anyone's point of view. The booking dates are published very far in advance (by the ROH, not some unknown third party), so the company does know by what date at least the most significant casting needs to be decided. This requirement should be built into rehearsal and scheduling plans. (And yes, I know it's easy for me to say, and I know running a big ballet company is very complicated. But it still needs to be said. Unless the idea is that casting doesn't matter, which of course no-one really believes.) 

Great photos, @Rob S! Thank you.

5 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I am really hoping that whoever announced/proposed the renaming was joking. 

I assumed at first that this was a parody. Or an April Fool on the wrong date. 

19 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

I also saw the Linbury's 'Dark With Excessive Bright' Monday evening. Enjoyed the experience a lot. Getting that close up to watching ballet dancers almost in slo-mo dance mode was something I'll not forget. At one point, Melissa Hamilton walked in front of me in the 'public gangway' and stopped, awaiting her queue to move into the dance space (we were in the walkway), and was so close she could have been wearing my shoes! 🙂 I didn't want to move in case I got in the way, so it was a long hold of breath, I can tell you!

Good thing you didn't step on her toes, zxDaveM!!

Talk about leaving the best til last... I thought that Twinkle (in spite of the name!) was incredibly beautiful. An absolute joy. Lyrical, fun, gorgeous music, beautiful expressive choreography, wonderful performances from the cast led by Bracewell and Kaneko; I didn't want it to end. Lovely having Kate Shipway doing her pianistic tour de force in full view and as part of a cleverly designed set. I thought it was interesting that in the short introductory film (which preceded each of the works), Jessica Lang said that she always works with the type of dancer/s in front of her - their style is her starting point. And she used the classical technique and sheer beauty of the dancers in front of her to superb effect. Whereas two of the other choreographers imposed their style on the dancers in front of them - and extremely well they danced the works, but they could have been dancers from any other company with any type of training. Whereas Twinkle shone and glittered and displayed the multi-faceted beauty of classical ballet and of classical ballet dancers to joyful effect.

For me, Boundless (Gemma Bond) started well but I found myself losing interest after a while. I found a lot of the choreography overly busy (whereas Jessica Lang had the courage in Twinkle to have many moments of great and striking simplicity), but I thought it was at least a serious attempt to make a serious classical work, and as such should be applauded.

The influence of Crystal Pite on at least the first part of Never Known (Joshua Junker) was clear, and not necessarily a bad thing. I thought this was a competent example of this kind of contemporary choreography, but not something that I would particularly want to see again.

For What It's Worth (Mthuthuzeli November) started well with a beautiful, lyrical solo for Mayara Magri, but the choreography did become rather repetitive and this was my problem with the rest of the work too. It was bright, colourful and pleasant to watch, but I couldn't see much more than that.

Judging by the whoops from the audience, the Junker and November pieces went down best (but who knows the composition of the audience); for me, the other two were more impressive. I would happily see Twinkle brought into the main repertoire.

If you're only able to have one triple bill, I really don't think it should be devoted to only one choreographer. It makes the season incredibly limited - both Giselles were done last season and the only other offering (at least at the moment) is a new Nutcracker.

7 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Has Campbell danced Oberon before perhaps he is as somebody else suggested being used more in the Ashton …if he hasn’t performed it before I think he’d be an excellent Oberon. 

Yes - he danced it in 2017.

19 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I have to say am amazed at the popularity of the Pet Shop Boys had no idea they were such a thing!! 
Im afraid they passed me by when in their prime so am even less interested now! 
Id much prefer more visiting ballet or dance companies at ROH in August. 

Me too. But at least it saves me money, and I hope it brings £££ to the ROH.

Having only just vowed not to go to TWT mainly because of the prices, some of this casting is so interesting that I'm already weakening... well, we'll see.

1 minute ago, Dawnstar said:

I know audience behaviour at the ROH cinecasts cannot be hoped to be as good as that at the ROH itself, but yesterday's Manon encore screening had probably the worst audience I've suffered at a cinecast. It started with more people than usual not turning up until the pre-show interviews were well underway, most of whom decided that it was fine to talk at normal volume while finding their seats. People likewise began to talk loudly as soon as each act ended so Darcey Bussell & Petroc Trelawney were virtually inaudible & for once I was glad of the subtitles. Then several times during Act I someone sitting near the front got out their phone & was taking photos of the screen. Eventually a woman, in the voice of someone goaded beyond endurance, snapped out "Put your phone away!". While I completely agreed with her sentiments, I wish she could have chosen a more suitable time to voice them than in the middle of Des Grieux's first solo. A few minutes into Act II a phone rang on 3 occasions in a short space of time and then later in the act a phone rang again, whether the same or another I couldn't tell. The owner of the latter phone finding it necessary to accompany silencing of said phone with some inane comment along the lines of "Oh, is that MY phone". All I can say is it's a good thing that, apart from the usual coughings, rustlings & whisperings, there weren't any extra interruptions in Act III or I might now be in jail for murder! The cinema capped it off by cutting the film as soon as the bows finished so there were no credits.

Oh. dear.

2 hours ago, Bluebird said:

I haven't checked the rest of the prices.  Apart from those who like to sit in the front side amphitheatre, are any other readers  suffering from the return to the Manon pricing structure?

I was in two minds about whether or not to book for The Winter's Tale, but these prices make it an easy decision (i.e. no). I'm normally side amphi a bit further back, but for Manon I'm much further back... and would have to be for TWT too. So it's a big no from me.

However I'm very pleased with the Ashton prices (assuming I can get 'my' tickets). Odd that the biggest draw of the season from my point of view is at the lowest price point. Does make you wonder how these prices are decided.

14 minutes ago, Geoff said:

One review online already, anybody from the Forum seen this show?
 

https://slippedisc.com/2024/02/alastair-macaulay-roh-choreographer-isnt-without-talent/

Odd that the headline refers to the comment that the choreographer is not without talent when that's pretty much the only (semi) positive thing in the whole (damning) review!

There's currently a separate thread for this work, Geoff. (Not sure if that should stay or if there should be one thread for the whole festival?).

15 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Going back to the cinema relay, I was slightly surprised when Petroc starting talking to Darcey about being MacMillan's muse, and having Prince of the Pagodas created for her at the age of 19.  I know she didn't mention it herself, nor was she responsible for those comments being made, but if the aim was to talk about what it was like to work with MacMillan, then that didn't really come across.  All she said was "I learned an awful lot" or something of that nature.

I noticed that when this was raised, she immediately deflected the attention away from herself by just saying that she'd learnt so much - placing the attention/credit back on MacMillan. She strikes me as a modest person and I don't think she really wants to talk herself up, or to talk about herself when the attention should be on others.

4 minutes ago, annamk said:

It is well known that she suffers from dyslexia, surely audiences these days are more sympathetic these days to disabilities, not everyone has to be a pitch perfect presenter.

 

As for her getting in the way of the current generation I don't understand your point at all. 

I don't know how widely known her dyslexia is, but the point is that she has many talents that could (and in my view should) be used during these screenings and in other contexts; being a formal presenter is not what she's good at. And I think the presenters, even if not perfect, should not distract from the subject matter they're there to present.

I think she is very generous to the current generation of dancers and a wonderful ambassador for ballet, and for dance more generally.

10 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Thirdly, I do wish at the end of the performance, we could just savour the moment in the cinema, and watch the curtain calls.  Is it really necessary to cut back to the two commentators standing backstage telling us how wonderful it has been and how good the dancers were?  I would prefer a short voice over saying something along the lines of "hope you enjoyed it and goodnight.."

Completely agree. And, fond as I am of Darcey Bussell, I've got to the stage where I just find it too nervewracking watching her. She's still so clearly petrified, and because she's having to read and speak prepared texts rather than just talking, she really isn't comfortable and makes too many mistakes and says things that make her sound vapid when that's the last thing she actually is. Petroc Trelawney is excellent and very kind, but even with his support for her I find it quite agonising. I think she should be used for rehearsal extracts or informal chats with dancers, not for formal presentation or interviews.

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

Yes - I once got caught out ringing it from a Vodafone mobile and got an extra £10+ added to my bill!

That's outrageous!

Back from the live screening - cinema nearly full and very appreciative audience.

A few random thoughts:

- Osipova lived and breathed the character of Manon from the first moment we saw her. Complete absorption in the role. Absolutely heartbreaking when she placed her head on the bed she had just shared with Des Grieux, knowing she was about to sell herself (and be sold) to the loathsome Monsieur G. M. And although she loves and needs the wealth that it brings her, she also hates herself for what she's doing. She's agonisingly conflicted. By Act III, she's in a stupor of misery and disbelief and dies as much of despair as of any physical cause. A stunning performance

- Reece Clarke looked magnificent, danced magnificently, and partnered magnificently. Absolutely beautiful. I don't feel that he has great dramatic strength or depth, but he does enable Osipova to take flight and then goes with her

- Alexander Campbell was a tremendous Lescaut - scheming, charming, pimping, dancing beautifully and acting wonderfully. The drunk scene this time made complete sense since it became a metaphor for his situation - out of control but thinking he was in control, lost but thinking he was making his way, almost funny but actually tragic. Brilliant. Mayara Magri strengthened this sense with her subtle, beautifully danced Mistress

- superb acting from Gary Avis, Lukas BB and the whole company

AND

- magnificent solo cellist in Act III. So moving. I wished he'd had a bow all of his own at the end

54 minutes ago, annamk said:

Personally I really don't care what nationality a dancer is, (it's not football where I will have my flag out cheering on my home team); nationality simply doesn't inform my response to the artistic qualities of a dancer, whether it does for the British media or other fans here I couldn't say. 

It doesn't inform my response to the artistic qualities of a dancer; but I do have a particular care about and interest in the history of ballet in the UK, the quality of current ballet training in the UK, and the quality of current dancers from the UK. So yes, nationality does have some relevance for me.

1 hour ago, alison said:

I guess there's a reason for that: Danses Concertantes hasn't been around since the RB started recording its performances on a regular basis, and Different Drummer wasn't recorded a decade or whenever it was ago.  Add to that that Requiem has never been recorded - and with Acosta and Benjamin in it I said I thought that was an error - and there's little or no footage they can post, I think.

If so, surely they could add some new rehearsal footage? And/or interviews, as @Blossom has suggested above.

1 hour ago, OnePigeon said:

Yep, wish I’d held off booking before casting was announced!  Luckily I was able to swap my ticket and I can live with the £4 fee.  I’m surprised (and disappointed) there’s no Yasmin Or Fumi in any of the pieces though.

I've done the same. I'm delighted that Sarah Lamb is doing Requiem but I wish that she was first cast or live screening cast or most cast... which she almost never seems to be. I feel as if she is taken for granted rather than ever being really promoted as the star that she is.

From what I remember, the fat/thin thing about the sisters is just a visual joke; I wouldn't assign any deeper meaning to it, and I also wouldn't worry at all about it. (What did worry me was that I found the choreography and the humour rather crude and unfunny. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, and I think I've only seen this production once so perhaps I should try it again.) 

Can't wait to see this cast in the live screening! Thanks for all the evocative reviews and photos.

46 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

I stand to be corrected , but did Carlos Acosta actually say he wouldn’t stage heritage works? I’ve searched some of his original statements both when the announcement about his taking up the post of director was made, and from when he was first appointed , and I cannot find any direct statement of this kind. 
I also think it’s important to read what he says on his official website. 

 

https://www.carlosacosta.com/birmingham-royal-ballet/

I remember discussions on this forum in response to him saying that he wouldn't stage heritage works (or maybe classics - can't remember) for a few years; but quite soon afterwards it was clear that he was in fact programming such works. So maybe it was an off-the-cuff comment, or maybe he changed his mind. (Or maybe he was misreported - don't know.) At any rate, I'm very glad it turned out not to be the case.