Sim

I was really hoping that BRB's ridiculous casting announcement policy would change under new management. Maybe when Carlos takes over it will. Having been in the RB for so many years where casting is announced months in advance, I hope he will have an understanding of how important this is to people paying their hard-earned money for tickets, travel and accommodation. I have often found that by the time casting is announced, the train fares and hotels are a lot more expensive because they are being booked so much closer to the date of travel. For those of us who work full time, we also have to organise time off if the programme we want to see is during the week. I, and many others I know, would make the trip more often if we had more time to plan, save and pay.

Hi all. Here is an email from John's family. If anyone would like to attend the funeral next week they will be most welcome. Please note the links for donations to charity in John's memory. If you would like to donate, please ensure that you do so in John's name so that his memory is celebrated by the charities. Many thanks, Sim Dear friends, John’s funeral will be held on Tuesday 27th August at 1.00 in St Giles Church, Camberwell SE5 8RB. The service will be followed by some refreshments in the Church and we will have some of his photographs on display there, while close family will be going to the crematorium after the service. We ask that you don’t send flowers but if you would like to make a donation, please give it in John’s name to any of the following charities which he supported: Amnesty International Charity Ltd, RSPCA, Alzheimer’s Society, WWF. Love, Tatiana, Sophie and Thecla https://www.amnesty.org.uk/giving/donate/give-now https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/donate/online https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/make-donation https://support.wwf.org.uk/donate-to-wwf?pc=ATD001001&ds_rl=1263317&ds_rl=1263317

Hi all. Here is an email from John's family. If anyone would like to attend the funeral next week they will be most welcome. Please note the links for donations to charity in John's memory. If you would like to donate, please ensure that you do so in John's name so that his memory is celebrated by the charities. Many thanks, Sim Dear friends, John’s funeral will be held on Tuesday 27th August at 1.00 in St Giles Church, Camberwell SE5 8RB. The service will be followed by some refreshments in the Church and we will have some of his photographs on display there, while close family will be going to the crematorium after the service. We ask that you don’t send flowers but if you would like to make a donation, please give it in John’s name to any of the following charities which he supported: Amnesty International Charity Ltd, RSPCA, Alzheimer’s Society, WWF. Love, Tatiana, Sophie and Thecla https://www.amnesty.org.uk/giving/donate/give-now https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/donate/online https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/make-donation https://support.wwf.org.uk/donate-to-wwf?pc=ATD001001&ds_rl=1263317&ds_rl=1263317

Yes I agree with this. I really enjoyed seeing the Bolshoi dance, as always, but this time there just wasn't the wow factor that I've had on previous occasions. I think that by and large, other companies have caught up technically over the past 10-20 years. When I was young, no other company could match the Bolshoi for sheer technique and exuberance: no-one could jump as high or turn so fast. Now, it's not that they aren't as good, they just aren't alone in being that good. I didn't much like their DonQ. Having just seen quite a few of the RB's Acosta version, I really do prefer it (and I was one of the few people who liked it a lot first time around!). I think it makes much more narrative sense, and I think the relationships between the characters are much better and more clearly drawn. I also like the fact that Dulcinea is present in the overture; we can immediately understand that the Don is off to find his dream woman, and in so doing adventures ensue. The sequence of events makes more sense to me. I hope that next time the Bolshoi comes to London (and may it be in the not-too-distant future) that they bring a more interesting rep. I would love love love to see Bright Stream again, and their Taming of the Shrew. I would be very interested to see Nureyev, even if it is as bad as some people say; at least it's something new and different!

Yes....she executed a backbend whilst on her knees, lost her balance and rolled over onto the floor.

Yet another disgraceful indictment of the US healthcare system. An American friend told me the other day that many American families are just one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. Indeed, I read recently that medical costs are the largest cause of bankruptcy in the US. We are so lucky in the UK. Next time anyone wants to moan about the NHS, spare a thought for these people. Thanks for this, Naomi. I wish Tiffany well.

Critics usually just report on the opening night of a production. Many wonderful debuts and performances have been missed for this reason.

Thanks for that wonderful review, Naomi. It sounds like it was a worthy and fabulous farewell to this special artist. Like others, I really wish that it would be shown somewhere online as well as on Japanese TV.

It seems to have had universal praise from the critics, but as I am not a Bourne fan I didn't buy a tick et. Instead, I am enjoying reading everyone's comments!

Me too. But since I can’t, I am so grateful to people like Duck, Angela, Naomi, Ivy Lin and others who take the trouble to post on this forum, often in a language that is not their mother tongue. My deepest thanks to them all.

Well as ear worms go, it’s a good one!

I'm very glad to hear it!

First of all, there are many comments on dance sites around the world that are allowed to stand that wouldn't be on this forum. Everyone has their own way of running things, and what is acceptable to one is not to another. "Why not let the fans of Polunin chat among themselves?" Because this is not a Polunin fan site. This is not a fan site full stop. Why is that? Because our members have said over and over again that they don't want the forum to be a fan site. This is indeed a COM....balletcoFORUM.com . It is not balletcoFANSITE.com. If Polunin fans (or any other dancers' fans) wish to create a fan site, that's great, but this isn't it. This is a forum. Forum means 'place of debate and discussion', as from ancient Greece and Rome. So if someone uses the forum to post up about a dancer or a piece of dance, whether positive or negative, they have to expect responses, either positive or negative. Your comparison with butting into a conversation at the ROH makes no sense. Of course people wouldn't do that; audience members chatting to each other during the interval at the ROH are having private conversations. People wouldn't just stick their heads in the circle and butt into a private talk. THIS is a public forum, so if someone posts something up, someone else will usually reply, and not always in agreement. Furthermore, you seem to have a chip on your shoulder about 'foreign' people commenting on UK dancers. Your comment is patronising and simply untrue. For your information, not all the moderators are British, and also how do you think we know if someone commenting on a dancer is foreign or not? Most people on here write under pseudonyms, so we often don't know where they are from. People have often said less than positive things about British dancers on this forum. As long as the comments are not personally insulting, we let them stand. There are many British people who say very negative things about British dancers; do you really think that we would weed out the 'foreign' comments from the British ones and let one stand but not the other? Finally, why do you sound so surprised that we want to hear about the Verona production? There is a big difference between wanting to hear about a production and not wanting to know about the personal lives of those involved.

The British character has changed a lot in the 40 years that I've been living here. No such thing as an orderly queue anymore, especially at bus stops, that's for sure!!

I will admit that I am in the 'yawn' camp, and I don't think it's an uncivil response. I do, however, look forward to hearing about the Verona R&J. I have a lot of respect for Kobborg/Cojocaru as artists. They gave me some of the best nights of my life at the ballet (Onegin, Giselle, Manon....) and I really hope this is successful for them. I also respect Polunin's great talent as an artist and feel that he went off the rails artistically as well as personally. Again, I hope this piece is a success for him. Not because of what he has become, but because of what he once was...a truly great artist.

Wow! Relief all round!

Great reviews all round in the press, with the somewhat miserable exception of Neil Norman. All in today’s links.

Sending you lots of wishes for a very quick and full recovery, Lin. 💪💪

Jan I believe you are absolutely right with that one!

I had never seen this before, nor did I have time to read or find a synopsis (there isn't one on the cast list), so I had no idea what was going on most of the time. However, it mattered not because I loved the music, the sets, the fun, the joy and most of all the gorgeous dancing. This is the only Bolshoi performance I am seeing during the run, and I am very pleased it was this one.

Great choice, CCL....Hayward was a fabulous Manon last time around!

John wouldn’t have wanted it to be any other way.

Great milestone, Dave...congratulations!!

Hello. If anyone would like to divest themselves of a Balcony or SCS or side amphi Bright Stream ticket for August 7th, I would be very interested in buying it from you. Please PM me if you can help. Many thanks, Sim

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our fellow moderator and founder of this forum, John Mallinson. John passed away on Friday after a short illness. To say he will be missed is an understatement. Not only was John a moderator for the forum, but as the administrator he set up all the systems that allow the forum to function technically on a day to day basis. He was our liaison between the people running the server and us, and often managed to save us some money by proving that their stats were incorrect. He was also one of our terrific triumvirate, with Ian and Janet, who so diligently provide the worldwide links every day. John wore his moderator hat very subtly and behind the scenes. His was always the voice of calm, of gentle reason, when all around us (including us) was going mad. We could ask his advice on anything, and if we disagreed he would do his best to talk us round, in his calm and sensible way. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but it was always done with his quiet good humour and intellectual approach. He always gave good reasons for his suggestions of what to do in a given situation. We will greatly miss his wit and wisdom, his technical prowess, his patience and his gentleness. He was an old-fashioned sort of true gentleman, the likes of which we don't much see these days. I have known John personally for 15 years and never once in all that time have I heard him swear, or be nasty about anybody or anything, no matter how angry he was. Somehow with John, you always ended up laughing. We will miss his dedication and commitment to this forum. As most of you know, we all started the forum together back in 2011. No-one has ever left our motley little crew, and we work very well together. When John wrote us a message a month or so ago telling us that he was unwell, his first concern was for the forum. He even apologised for letting us down. A couple of weeks ago, from his hospital bed, he communicated with us, worried about how the admin side of the forum was going. This is the kind of man John was, and we will miss him more than we can say. I am sure that you will all join us in thanking John for all that he did to make the forum the thriving place that it is today. His contribution cannot be underestimated. On behalf of the moderators and all forum members, we send our deepest condolences to John's wife, two daughters, grandchildren and all of his family and friends. I will end with the words of a fellow moderator: a true gentleman who will be sorely missed by all. Rest in peace, John. We are privileged that your life touched ours, and so many others.