Sim

KVN Dance Company

Coppelia ****

Marylebone Theatre, London, 24 April 2024

Whilst many people were watching the Royal Ballet in Swan Lake last night, I headed down to the Marylebone Theatre, just a few doors away from the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street.  The mystery here is how I had never heard of this lovely little venue, having worked nearby and lived quite nearby for years!

Nor had I previously heard of the KVN Dance Company.  Founded by Kevan Allen, their aim is to attract new audiences to dance by expanding its possibilities and making it fun and accessible.  If their production of Coppelia is anything to go by, they are succeeding beautifully.

The programme states on its cover “Coppelia, Classic Remixed: Classic Reborn”.    I usually roll my eyes when I see the words ‘reimagined for contemporary audiences’ or suchlike; last night I entered the theatre with an open but slightly dubious mind, and left it having had a delightful and eye-opening two hours of theatre and dance.

The reason this reimagining of Coppelia works so well is that the original score and ballet/story are all treated with respect.  The music and choreography are deconstructed and rebuilt into a narrative that works.  Delibes’ glorious music is used extensively, but is expanded and added to by Swedish musician Rickard Berg.  Allen didn’t feel the need to revise the ending nor change the basic story, for which I am very grateful.  The piece opens with the villagers galivanting in the square, and Dr Coppelius is introduced as the eccentric we know from the original.  From there, the story moves on apace, and the combination of wit and pathos remains.  The choreography is fun and clever, the costumes (by Wendy Olver) a delight, and the set (by Justin Williams) is light and buoyant in the outside scenes, dark and broody in Dr Coppelius’ lab.  The other toys in the attic are gorgeously dressed and come to life with sparkle and zest.  Praise also goes to Mike Robertson’s atmospheric lighting, especially in Coppelius’ workshop.  I was even more impressed with the costumes and set when I read in the programme that the company is almost entirely sustainable, and everything is made from second-hand materials that have been acquired and donated. 

As for the cast, the company is made up of 12 dancers, all of whom were clearly having a ball onstage.  Most of them are from theatre schools and thus were able to handle various styles of dance and make them all meld into one delightful work.  Rosie Southall as Coppelia was a very convincing doll, transformed from her original raggedy state into a gorgeous girl with just a skirt and toreador ruffled blouse.  She made it easy to believe that foolish Franz could be attracted to her and be duped into thinking she was real. Michael Downing as Coppelius and Zach Parkin as Franz both gave notable performances, striking just the right balance between comedy and drama.    Ellie Ferguson as Swanhilda was innately balletic and gave us a feisty but ultimately kind, empathetic and forgiving young bride.  She was happy and wanted Dr Coppelius to be, too.  Her insistence that the villagers accept him into their society made for a joyous ending, celebrating both a wedding and life itself. 

This reimagining of a classic works on all fronts, and like Matthew Bourne’s reimagining of Swan Lake I can imagine that this one has the potential to inspire many people, especially young ones, to want to see the original, classical version.  I know that Bourne’s Lake was the route to a love of classical ballet for many people back in the 90s; maybe this will be the case for this generation for Coppelia, albeit on a smaller scale.

Speaking of scale, this company is self-funded and deserves to continue and to be seen as widely as possible.  They are at the Marylebone Theatre until April 27th and are touring around the country (details on their website) until the end of June.  Catch them if you can.  Last night they made my cold, grey day a whole lot brighter and warmer with this innovative, fun and bold production.

7 hours ago, balletyas said:

 I’m beginning to think that’s why her Odette tonight was on the chilly side -  I think what we were seeing was someone who daren't let herself show her feelings too much, in case it might all crumble, as indeed it does.  

 

This is a very good point.  Why would Odette immediately be passionate and warm to this guy who has just come along, when the last guy who just came along turned her into a captive bird?  I would also be very wary and take my time to loosen up and open my heart to him.  

Interesting to read such varied views.  I haven’t seen tonight’s performance yet but from this cast’s first two performances I was totally emotionally engaged and found the lead couple inhabited their characters in a pure and natural way…I didn’t find anything calculated about either of them.  As I have said before, art is subjective so everyone has their own perspective and perception of what they see.  Very interesting!  

18 hours ago, Silke H said:

possibly focusing on his debut as Polixenes in The Winter's Tale (first night's cast)

Not to mention his debut as Oberon in The Dream on 19th June...

1 hour ago, art_enthusiast said:

I assume it helps if the cygnets are all of similar height? As they have to stay linked together the whole time. I don't think the casting is always the same height wise though.

Yes, they do try to get the four cygnets at pretty much the same height.  

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

@Missfrankiecat I guess the prince should stand out as different to the rest of the court, so this physical difference helps 😉

 

And so we return to typecasting !!!  The elegant slim and long legged dancers are the Prince and the virtuoso short ones are his friend or jester.   It was ever thus 🤣

Marcelino Sambe is not long legged and he is playing the prince.  Joon-Hyuk Jun, playing Benno, is tall and long legged. Ditto Teo Dubreuil. 

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

What do people think of conductors who hum along to the music?

I never sit near enough to them to hear them....but if I did, I wouldn't want to hear them anymore than I would want to hear an audience member!  

50 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

Interesting that the above discussion of the quality of dancers at first soloist level hasn’t mentioned Hamilton. I haven’t seen the current run, but several comments in this thread have commented positively on her as a big swan alongside with either Gaspirani or Sasaki .

And her Manon was sensational.  I loved her interpretation, and her understanding of, and technical ability in, the MacMillan repertoire alone elevates her.  She's not a classical dancer in the same vein as Nunez, Kaneko and Naghdi...but then Ed Watson wasn't a classical dancer either and had a wonderful career as a Principal.  

Gosh Rob doesn't waste any time!!  😂

5 minutes ago, DVDfan said:

If it wouldn't be inappropriate, Sim, can I add this comment?

 

Over several years of reading this forum I have come to realise that people have different expectations of a ballet performance. For some, technical excellence is of paramount importance. For others, it is the emotional experience that matters. For many, it is the visual impact of a visual art that counts, but for a few, the music is paramount. Others want a good night out at the theatre, and so on, and so on.

Thus a performance that moves one audience member to tears by its dramatic impact may attract quite a bit of technical criticism from another. Yet another viewer may feel that the plot is peculiar or costumes distracting to the  point of failure etc, etc...

 

No one is wrong, they are just judging on different criteria.  

Exactly.  Art of any form is subjective;  there is no right or wrong.  

With my moderator's hat on, I would like to emphasise (as I have many, many times over the years) that this is not a fan site, and that all comments and criticism are welcome (as long as they don't breach AUP).  I disagree that 'most comments on this site are written with superlatives.'  Some are, some aren't.  One just has to read this Swan Lake thread to see many comments that are not exactly positive.  

I think we should also remember that not everyone who posts on this site has English as a first language, and sometimes they might use English words in such a way that native speakers would not.  Please cut them some slack.  

There are many people on the site who have been watching ballet/dance avidly for many decades, and have a profound understanding and admiration for the art form.  They may not be academics or directly involved in ballet, but they often outclass the professional writers and others with their insights.  

I would also add that the voices of the 'fanboys/girls, relatives and newbies' are just as welcome and as important as everyone else's.

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

I think that Reece Clarke answered this potentially thorny little matter rather effectively last night by visibly starting at Von Rothbart’s prostrate form draped over the rock, inducing him to check the area behind.

I was thinking during yesterday’s matinee that I am sure the girls’ arms used to point towards the lake as Siegfried wakes up, but they don’t seem to now. Maybe I am mistaken because I think that is what should happen so might have simply imagined it!  🤔

Thanks for your wonderful review, Sabine. 🙂

1 minute ago, Buru said:

Sim, so this is intentional? In other productions Siegfried swears in Act II and breaks his oath in Act III; and it’s this betrayal that leads to Odette’s death (or near death as in some productions Rothbart is killed and she is ultimately saved). If there is no raised hand in Act II, then what’s all the fuss is about? He didn’t promise anything, and Odette can wait for the next guy to try her luck. 
 

The way I have always interpreted it, is that one oath is not enough, he should actually marry her (echoes La Bayadere story sort of). 

I think in this version that he states his love for her, but doesn't make the vow, and she thinks that's enough.  He then betrays her by swearing eternal love to Odile.  This is intentional;  none of the Siegfrieds in this version swear eternal love to Odette in Act 2.  To me this makes sense;  Odette has just told him that when someone comes and swears eternal love for her, she will be a swan no more and the spell will be broken.  So if Siegfried swears this in Act 2, wouldn't that automatically break the spell?  

I would love to hear some thoughts about Sarah and Reece’s performance last night please…and Teo Dubreuil’s debut as Benno.  Thanks!

@Buru surely if Siegfried swears eternal love in Act 2 that would already break VR’s spell and that would be the end of the ballet!  

25 minutes ago, MJW said:

 

That was best performance of Swan Lake I've seen. It's a work that usually leaves me rather cold emotionally - looks and sounds marvelous but no more than that. 

 

I think the combination of an emotionally draining week at work and sitting so close to the stage (Row H in the Stalls) resulted in real connection for me. Everything gelled; terrific performances from everyone, beautiful music and a storyline that (really for the first time for me) made complete sense throughout. I'm afraid it left me in a bit of a state at the end, but perhaps that isn't such a bad thing.

 

From my IG from this afternoon -

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5_crjlIwVT/

   

I am so glad it that effect on you too!  

Very sad.  She was only 63 and died from cancer.  I feel for Hans Rausing.  This is the second time he has lost a young wife.  RIP.

1 hour ago, Fiona said:

Why does the word "re-imagining" fill me with dread!!

Everything is “reimagined” these days!  😫😂

5 hours ago, MJW said:

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/43/swan-lake-by-liam-scarlett/cast-list/54728

 

Cast sheet for this afternoon’s performance. Frankly after the week I’ve had at work, I really need this!

I hope it helped!  It sure worked for me, Wednesday and today!  

18 minutes ago, Shade said:

I remember seeing him being walked over the bridge. Does the Wells stage have space for him?

Yes.  Naughty Peregrine was there in all his glory last time BRB brought Fille down. After the performance I was walking past the stage door and there he was, with his trainer, just about to be loaded onto the horse truck.  I stopped to stroke him (the pony, not the trainer!) and I asked if he enjoyed doing the shows.  The trainer replied that he absolutely loves it, and loves all the attention.  I do hope he is still with us (the pony....and the trainer!).

I'm seeing Nadine Sierra on April 30th.  Have never heard her sing so am looking forward to it!

7 minutes ago, Shade said:

Interesting reading your post Sim - I wasn’t moved at all in Act 2

Everyone I spoke to was, but of course that was just those I spoke to; it doesn't mean everybody, so... to each their own!

And so….about last night.  This hardened old balletomane, who has been watching Swan Lake for many more decades than I care to remember, was turned to mush by the glorious performance of Yasmine Naghdi as the swan.  The beauty, the technical perfection, the intensity and intelligence of her interpretation meant that I was moved like almost never before.  A couple of the regulars told me in the interval that they had never been so moved in the Act 2 pdd, and I felt the same way.  This is because Yasmine took us all on a journey in those few minutes.  I could understand the clarity of her mime, her story, her emotions.  No words needed here;  her eyes, her luscious arms, every startled movement of her head…they took us from her initial fright and distrust on the journey to love and faith in her prince.  Nothing was rushed, and it gave us time to absorb the story.   It made her grief in Act 4 so much more poignant:  her initial gut feeling was to escape, but the gentle and patient efforts by Matthew Ball’s Siegfried paid off, and she melted into his arms, maybe against her better judgment, but here was a possible way out of her awful situation.

And then came Odile.  A minxy seductress, having loads of fun playing with this poor sap of a prince.  Her collusion with Von Rothbart was great to watch;  so much communication just using her eyes, a slight nod of the head to show that she has understood what she needs to do. A sexy smile, a batting of her eyes, a bit of teasing, and Siegfried was doomed. A rock solid balance (had Matthew not taken her down she could have stayed there and had a drink until she was good and ready to continue), and then a fabulous set of fouettes, en place and whipped out without even breaking into a sweat, dazzled Siegfried (and the audience) into final submission.  I had the feeling that this Odile was holding her laughter, then when the deception was revealed let it all out;  there was no doubting her glee at her wicked achievement. 

Act 4 was beautiful.  Not only was the forgiveness pdd deeply felt by Odette and Siegfried, but again it was so clear what was going on in her heart and head. Her grief and devastation at the deception brought a lump to my throat.   Her initial reluctance to allow Siegfried back in, again her conversion from mistrusting him to accepting his apology and letting him back into her heart was, well, heartbreaking.   When she ran towards the rock I felt like shouting ‘noooo, don’t do it!’, but that was as much because I didn’t want to stop seeing her dance as it was for her character’s sacrifice.  A simply glorious performance that I can’t really describe.  This is the best I can do.

I really enjoyed Matthew Ball’s dancing, but found him a bit more understated than usual last night.  Their partnership is so solid, and they understand each other so well, that risks can be and were taken (e.g. the falling backwards in both of the pdd were very deep and made someone in front of me inhale deeply).  He made it very clear to us in his emotional solo between Acts 1 and 2 that the world was weighing heavily on his shoulders and that he didn’t want the responsibilities being imposed upon him. 

There was some sloppiness from the supporting cast and I am sure this will be ironed out by the cinema broadcast. 

But the night belonged to Yasmine Naghdi, and she deserved her standing ovation.  What she doesn’t deserve is to have been overlooked yet again by the NDAs.  But who cares?  It is we, the audience, for whom these wonderful artists dance, and if we love and appreciate them, that is what matters.  In the case of Miss Naghdi, I do, and so do many others. I can only hope that she felt that love and appreciation last night.  After a performance like that, it is the least she deserved.  Brava Yasmine! 

23 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

yes, that's true - but I sorta feel she's 'ours', not 'theirs' 🙂

Yes.