Mandy Kent

Returned to box office

For Sale 1 ticket £68 Orchestra Stalls E30 Weds 12th June 7.30. Naghdi/ Watson Firebird, Cuthbertson/Muntagirov Month . I will be there to hand over ticket, reason for selling is that I had a spare place.

Each to their own Richard LH. I've enjoyed almost all of Matthew Bourne's productions and judging by the success of most of them I can only assume many thousands of others have enjoyed them too. I accept they do not appeal to everyone but there has been a lot of variety and I do not agree that they are depressing or tired, in my opinion. Best wishes from a Bourne fan

I’d just like to congratulate Nicol Edmonds in a principal role partnering Sarah Lamb in Symphony in C . It’s a tricky role as all eyes are on the Ballerina but there is split second timing involved, so well done Nicol !

Congratulations Marcelino ! Well deserved

Nice to meet you LinMM 😀

I think many of us were eagerly anticipating Ed’s return to the stage having recovered from injury. His role was Ivan Tsarevitch who enters the Magic Garden and encounters the Firebird , beautifully danced in her debut performance by Yasmine Naghdi. Watson’s supportive partnering and characterful acting was confident and assured. The role does not have any solo dancing it is mainly partnering , for the Firebird and then with the Beautiful Tsarevna, danced with much grace by Ed’s friend Christina Arestis . The dancing is very stylised and at the end there is a superb set piece showing the wedding of the Tsarevich and Tsarevna. The piece received a huge round of applause and I could see that Ed looked very happy to be back on stage.

Saw Bolle as des Grieux years ago and thought he was terrific !

The casting for Hatch House has been updated and now includes Nicol Edmonds. Catch me someone.......🥰

Time to start a thread on Performances Seen ?

Both The Times and Telegraph reluctantly awarded a single star. I believe if it were possible to award no stars they may have chosen that option . What a sad waste of his talent.

Thank you for your report prs59 and welcome to the forum ( if you have previously reported then I missed it , sorry) I share maryrosesatonapin (....so Mary rose!) hope that by August at SW it will be settled in and far more polished. I’m so looking forward to seeing the production after the long run of traditional R&J’s at the ROH . Hoping for a report from Jan after the Lowry shows ...

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE CONCERT MASTER AND WORLD RENOWNED VIOLINEST VASKO VASSILEV WILL BE PERFORMING FOR US AT THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF BALLET AND DANCE AT HATCH HOUSE. We can now confirm that Vasko Vassilev will be joining the production for the show in July at Hatch House. We are hugely proud to be able to welcome this international super star musician to Hatch House. Bulgarian violinist and conductor Vasko Vassilev is Concert Master of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. He joined the Orchestra as Concert Master in 1993, the first person to hold the position. Vassilev was born in Sofia and first began studying the violin aged five. He trained at the Moscow Conservatory, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal College of Music. He was appointed super soloist at the Lyon Opera House aged 21 and appointed Concert Master at the Royal Opera house aged 23. In 2005 he made his British conducting debut at the Royal Albert Hall, and was appointed Creative Producer of the Royal Opera House. He is Artistic Director of Trittico, for which he produces and performs both traditional and contemporary repertory with numerous artists, groups and orchestras. He is also Artistic Director of the Soloists of Covent Garden, London Chamber Orchestra and Laureate, an orchestra he founded made up exclusively of international prize-winners. Over the years, Vasko has worked with many musicians of other disciplines and styles, including Placido Domingo, Sting, Ronnie Wood, Vanessa-Mae, Paco Pena, and Erasure If you would like to book tickets or would like further information then please go to www.coventgardendance.com or email us onmail@coventgardendance.com. For more information on Vasko Vassilev please visit: www.vaskovassilev.com Hot from Hatch House !

Dawnstar and LinMM , do come up to the Amphi Terrace ( outside of the Bar) turn left and look for a large group first or second table. I’ll arrange a Balletcoforum table sign ! There aren’t always enough seats as we generally rely on the wonderful Bluebird to nab them but people who need to sit can sit and others can stand ... Im there on 4th, 12th and 13th

The way I see it is this. If the Admins agree to a GetTogethers thread then folks who are not regulars can post to say ‘hi I’d like to join you in for example the Amphi terrace ... please look out for me I’m in a green jumper and my name is eg Fred. No blue badges needed. Maybe a balletcoforum flag or something on the table ? Or for example.. I’m going to Sadlers on the 5th of whenever, any balletcoforum folks fancy meeting by the large red bench by the window on the way to the cloakroom, my name is ‘red shoes ‘ and I’ll be wearing a red coat .. that sort of thing . It used to work quite well with some effort and thought.

Thanks for your comment Linda. That’s not how I personally have found our current meetings so I’m sorry that has been your experience. If anyone else has any more positive reactions to my suggestion above I would be happy to know if it’s worth putting in the effort to arrange some Get Togethers and possibly reinstating the wonderful Christmas or New Year Annual Lunch ?

Having noticed on the R & J thread that folks were discussing meeting up or recognising other forum members, and having in the past initiated some get-togethers.. I wondered if there would be support for re- instating a Get Togethers thread ? A bunch of us do meet up to the left side of the Amphi terrace at most performances, during the intervals . If you are new then please get in touch and then come and say hello ! It’s a very informal thing and no invitation is required. This is for the ROH but other venues like Sadlers Wells also have informal meet -ups from time to time, and the same goes for venues further afield .

‪I saw the film of Sir Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake tonight. There were a few technical issues at the Vue North Finchley , the worst was not setting the aspect correctly so that all feet were cut off, however this was corrected. It was also too loud and too cold and I probably sat too close. ‬Those are the cons...here are the pros: Close up views ensured we could see the vulnerability and pathos in Liam Mower’s expressive face, the bliss when he ‘meets’ the Swans and the sheer agony when the Stranger rejects him. The wild feral strength of Will Bozier’s Swan and those enigmatic eyes which stare into your soul. Nicole Kabera’s icy Queen , with cut glass cheekbones and an inner glow whenever a handsome cadet was near. The large group scenes of the Swans in Act2 and 4 and the Ballroom in Act 3 are filmed well and from a view that is further back so you can see the entire stage properly and all the swan patterns .The film allows you to follow the story through the dance and the acting even if you are new to Swan Lake as my companion was. It’s not as emotionally satisfying as a live performance in my opinion but a tremendous record of this revised masterpiece and making it accessible to a much wider audience. 🦢 🦢 🦢

Just a reminder that Swan Lake is at a cinema near you ( hopefully) TONIGHT . May 21st with Will Bozier as the Swan and Liam Mower as The Prince . I’m going to the Vue North Finchley if anyone wants to meet up ?

Tonight 21st May Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake in cinemas throughout the UK ( and ? Beyond ...) With Will Bozier as The Swan/Stranger and Liam Mower as the Prince , fab cast! I’m watching it from North Finchley Vue if you fancy meeting up !

Dear Alison, there is a long strobe light for about 5 minutes in Rouge. And very screechy sounds at times in In Your Rooms. I don’t think this Triple is for you to be honest 💕

Rambert are cool. And hot. Maybe it’s my time of life but my temperature was rising and plummeting like a thermal rollercoaster during this performance of three works from three very different choreographers. A classic McGregor ‘PreSentient’ ( 2002) opened the evening with Kym Sojourna’s sinuous solo setting the scene. The ensemble of twelve dancers danced in groups, duets and solos to the repetitive and driven yet hypnotic music of Steve Reich. If you like Wayne McGregor, and I do, this is a must see. And though the plain purple costumes are simple the designer Ursula Bombshell deserves a mention for her name alone! The second work Rouge , by Marion Motin, sizzled from the moment Guillaume Queau sauntered on stage with his long hair loose and his fur coat ( hopefully fake fur) open over his naked torso. The cast of seven were all dressed to the nines in colourful designer togs by Yann Seabra. On stage a cool guitarist Ruben Martinez was so hip it hurt. His guitar riffs ...music composed by Mika Luna..cut through the airwaves and energised the dancers with their insistent rhythms. This work is a Wow ! It’s the party that everybody wants to be invited to. The work opens slowly in a mist of dry ice with Martinez dominating the stage while the dancers crouch low. There is an opening phase of standing and falling but this develops into a very interesting series of scenes, with dramatic red lighting ( hence the title Rouge) . There is a five minute strobe sequence so be warned .... and prepared to close your eyes. But not for too long as you won’t want to miss a minute. Finally Hofesh Shechter’s ‘In Your Rooms’ ... unfortunately left me cold . It seemed endless and pointless. Whilst I have admired many of Shechter’s other works this seemed to lack direction or meaning.. and I felt the dancers were so poorly lit that it was hard to make out the choreography. A self-indulgent piece but I could still admire the talented dancers and live musicians so all was not lost. I must add that my companion really enjoyed In Your Rooms whilst I wished I’d stayed in mine ! However the ticket price is worth it for the first two pieces which were superb. So dress in layers and you will be prepared for any temperature change !

Hopefully next time R & J comes round Edmonds and Richardson will have the chance to debut as Romeo. Although I can also picture Edmonds as Tybalt , he certainly can act well . His Benvolio was very characterful and well danced and I’ve already given my view on his Paris . And both Edmonds and Richardson are tall.

I wholeheartedly agree with Nogoat in their praise of Sarah Lamb whose artistry brought tears of pity and heartbreak to this old bird’s sorrowful eye, which has only happened once before on this run with lovely Lauren Cuthbertson . The character of Paris is somewhat perplexing. A young nobleman who is very much cultivated by the scheming Capulets and who initially receives a tentative acceptance from Juliet . He may find her and her family status attractive but generally he never appears to have any feelings. Thomas Mock played him as the traditional ‘plank of wood’ which is no disrespect to Mock who I know is a fine dance actor having seen him on fire as the gypsy in Two Pigeons. However in the evening Nicol Edmonds played Paris as a real man, both admiring of Juliet and perplexed and hurt when she favours another , and finally angered by her treatment of him , by her scorn and rejection. I far prefer this type of characterisation for Paris. I think he is shabbily treated and does not deserve to die at the hands of the grieving and revengeful Romeo. Top marks to Edmonds. And a very big mention for the corps de ballet who dance and act their socks off throughout Acts 1 & 2 .

Thank you for clarifying Bluebird xx Thanks for your correction Thalia. Apologies to mart and all readers for my error . Teo you were terrific . I still stand by my general comments on Leo, one to watch, I think .