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MJW

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    Royal Ballet Cinderella March/April 2023

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    35 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

    Oh, sorry to hear that....I have never tried standing, but other Forum members do so regularly and may have tips on the best position...

     

    I think if I had been standing more in the centre the view would have been better certainly. I'll have to try again and see if that improves the experience. I did feel somewhat removed from the performance as if I had just wandered in from the street!

    • Like 2

    Royal Ballet Cinderella March/April 2023

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted · Edited by MJW

    24 minutes ago, capybara said:


     Stalls Circle C91 😂 Price for Cinderella £34 😱

    The man in the photo did sit up straight but that actually made things worse. The other hazard is that people sitting in Row C nearer the stage lean forward and blot out the other side of the pillar too!

    But, as I mentioned, it is possible to stand alongside that seat without blocking anyone else and to get a good view of most of the stage.

    (The person in seat C90 - nowhere near as bad - mentioned C22 to me as the one to avoid on the left of the auditorium.)

     

    Its very odd how ROH price some of their restricted seats. I was looking the other day at the unsold restricted balcony seats for something or other; some had very minor restrictions such as a tiny corner of the stage being blocked by the front of the balcony screen but others had a column or the protective rail right in the middle of the view - all seats regardless of restrictions were £112.

     

    Stalls circle C76 isn't too bad, nor C71 or C42. If its a good seat, I try and sit there again in the future. I had sat in B34/B45 so often in the GT, I ought to have my name on it.

    • Like 1

    RB Class on Stage 21/4

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    28 minutes ago, Angela Essex said:

    Yes @JohnS I thought it was Olivia Cowley too.

     

    There were two ladies who I couldn’t stop watching  (maybe Katharina and Marianna?) they were just beautiful dancers. Also the male dancer in white (maybe James Large?) really stood out for me. 

     

    James was in the front row in the centre - certainly a very elegant dancer

    RB Class on Stage 21/4

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted · Edited by MJW

    Did you see them on stage afterwards? I think just showing off for the audience still in the auditorium !

     

    From my IG reel - https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrTEGbtoEMu/

     

     

    This was my fourth (or even fifth) visit to see class on stage - as ever absolutely fascinating.  Martin Diaz (I think) caught my eye front row left end.   James Large was in the cafe afterwards - he's so tall and looked very refreshed despite having been on stage for an hour and a half!

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Royal Ballet Cinderella March/April 2023

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    35 minutes ago, JohnS said:

    Journey home to Penrith and chance to catch up on Saturday’s performances after a fabulous weekend with the cinema encore still to come as I didn’t see the live relay.

     

    Saturday’s matinee was very much Yasmine Naghdi’s Cinderella, a lovely performance so strong technically and very touching. I enjoyed Matthew Ball’s Prince although just before his solo I couldn’t help but think he’d perhaps been drawing too much on Wellington rather than being smitten by his Cinderella. That’s a touch unfair as I love the Naghdi/Ball partnership but unfortunately I caught perhaps the one preparatory smoothing of the hair when I was looking for a Prince enraptured by his Cinderella. And their pdd and the close of Act 3 were fabulous.


    I found Tom Whitehead and Luca Acri over the top for my liking as I did

    Joonhyuk JunJester where his enormous jumps can so easily miss the beat or lead to Koen Kessels having to apply the brakes.

     

    I very much enjoyed Mayara Magri’s Fairy Godmother and the Fairies although Autumn might have had more attack. Their ensemble work was excellent.

     

    I thought Saturday’s evening performance, Francesca Hayward’s cast’s last performance this run, one of those very special occasions. I’d seen the two earlier performances and very much enjoyed them. For the final performance everything gelled and it was a joy to be there. A fabulous atmosphere in the House and very pleasing to hear the intake of breath when people seeing the production for the first time delight in the magic.

     

    I find Francesca Hayward a fabulously engaging dancer who very much inhabits the role. She’s a lovely fit for Cinderella and a natural Ashtonian. Other dancers may be technically stronger and at the end of her solo last night she had to work hard to avoid running out of stage, the one moment of any anxiety. That moment apart, I thought it a gem of a performance. And it also showed the strength of Alexander Campbell’s partnership with Francesca Hayward, the extra care he took to ensure all was well. He made for a fine Prince.

     

    I thought the entire cast excelled last night. I’ve liked Christina Arestis and Kristen McNally as the step sisters and they were having a ball last night … and Napoleon’s wig didn’t make an early appearance. Annette Buvoli has really impressed as the Fairy Godmother and all the Fairies were on top form. And for me Taisuke Nakao has been astonishingly good as the Jester.

     

    It was very good visiting the stage door after both performances yesterday and chat to Yasmine, Matt, Francesca and Alexander. I’m very pleased I’d assumed that it was the last performance for Christina, Kristen and Annette and was able to see them. People don’t know who’s dancing in the later casts but it won’t be them and no other women are dancing step sisters. Calvin Richardson has been rehearsing and he may be dancing with James Hay. Taisuke said he wasn’t dancing the Jester with the other casts. Hopefully the extra casting will be confirmed and published next week. Matt did say he’s been rehearsing with Laura Morera so I’ll certainly be looking forward to their performance next Saturday and the other new casts.

     

    How lovely to have been able to meet so many cast members. I think I'd be too tongue-tied to make sensible conversation !

    • Like 3

    Royal Ballet Cinderella March/April 2023

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted · Edited by MJW
    addition of word

    I'm afraid I'm going to have to be rather negative with my review. This is the second time I have seen Cinderella since the general rehearsal.

     

    First the positives: Fumi and William were a delight as expected and they are my go-to couple (now that James Hay and Anna-Rose O'Sullivan no longer dance together). Liam Boswell was excellent as the Jester and made a difficult role look effortless. 

     

    James Hay and Benett Gartside were great as the sister - though there is far too much of them and they do dominate at times (not a criticism of the dancers, just the roles). 

     

    The corps were great and their patterns were very effective from where I was sitting in the front row of the amphi.

     

    Acts 2 and 3 work well but as others have said Act 1 is far too long and it one starts to wonder when the "ballet" will begin.

     

    I think however for me the negatives outweigh the positives.  However thought it would be a good idea to blind the audience with a light show at the start clearly needs a good talking to. There is a similar light show during Alice but that manages not to do that.

     

    For a new staging that made much of using magic and special effects, some of the transformations seem very clunky. I saw a stagehand helping to move the conservatory glass for the arrival of the Winter Fairy and hearing the scenery wheeling away at the end of the first scene in Act 3 rather destroys the magic. The turning of the pumpkin into the carriage is frankly a bit naff and the entrance of the Fairy Godmother later in Act 1 is hardly something special.

     

    The Fairies' young attendances are frankly embarrassing and remind me of reluctant children being pushed on stage at an infants nativity play. They add nothing other than a sense of bemusement.

     

    To my (very untrained eye) I thought the Season Fairies seemed to struggle and Hannah Grennell as the Winter Fairy made no doubt difficult steps look difficult rather than effortless. 

     

    I'm sorry to be so negative and am booked for a standing in the stalls circle for two weeks time so I will see if I feel differently then. 

     

    My seat was £112 and whilst the view was fine, I have seen much better productions and in some cases have been overwhelmed by what I have seen for far less (I appreciate that pricing is not based on how good something is!).

     

    Finally - my view of the curtaincall  -

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CrCG0cfok5-/ 

    • Like 10
    • Thanks 2

    ROH summer season 2023 booking

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    I had a reminder earlier in the week from ROH to book before today so yesterday evening I booked for Carlos and the Australian ballet.

     

    Managed to get a ticket this morning for the RBS Summer somewhere in the balcony but hopefully a less restricted seat will become available beforehand (that’s how I managed to get my seat last year)

     

    As I think @alison mentioned a lot of the seats were dark greyed out - not sure what was going on there.

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