alison Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 Prince Edward? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 Will be very interested to see what Mlindi Kulashe makes of Rochester ....he was terrific in Little Mermaid last week in Leicester ...has a great stage presence apart from brill dancing etc....was very impressed with him as was my non ballet going friend....but she could recognise talent anyway!! I'm not sure but think the dancer playing young Jane was also the Little Mermaid as well ....haven't got the programme handy....but if so she was great as well. I'm not sure I've seen Abigail Prudames before but have heard good things about her ( this is for sat. Mat on 19th) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 17, 2018 Author Share Posted May 17, 2018 It’s a terrific cast. Abby created the role of the Mermaid and Ayami Miyata has also danced that role. We are in for a treat! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 (edited) Amid all the Swan Lake excitement, I forgot to post that I caught the Thursday matinee (featuring the wonderful pairing of Bateman and Torres). I was once again blown away, but this time by the things I'd missed last time because Marston's insights had had me in a bit of a daze! There was young Jane's anger; Rochester and Jane's playfulness between their engagement and abortive wedding; St John Rivers' inability to see past his own ambitions; and finally the way Jane teased Rochester back into happiness with echoes of their earlier interaction, leaving me (most uncharacteristically!) in tears at the final curtain. All of these are faithful the book, yet take on their own life in the ballet. Apart from perhapsTchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, I can't think of an adaptation in any medium which has heightened my appreciation of the original so well. I'd see it again and again if I could. Edited May 18, 2018 by Lizbie1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Just come out of the Friday showing. Gosh, it was top notch story telling, with minimal production bits and bobs. Cathy Marston certainly has the knack for getting the best out of any staging, and the dancers didn’t let her down, as all were terrific 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 I agree, Dave, Marston wove total magic .... and the Company did both her and us proud. At first I came to see the D in D-Men as death ... and then 'Destiny' and finally a combination of the two. They toyed as vividly with our imaginations as they did with and through Jane's. The Bronte effect was rich in Marston's triumph. Bless David Nixon for encouraging such vivid inspiration. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 19, 2018 Author Share Posted May 19, 2018 I loved both performances of Jane Eyre today (Abby Prudames/Mlindi Kulashe this afternoon and Hannah Bateman/Joe Taylor this evening) but I have to say that tonight's performance was very special indeed. I was a blubbering mess at the end! Lovely to meet Ian too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 Janet, the feeling's mutual and our meeting at last added just a little extra to what was, as you say, a very special performance tonight. I had seen Jane in Richmond on its first, limited run some two years ago and was delighted to renew acquaintance. As audiences in San Francisco have just seen with her Snowblind, Cathy Marston has continued to develop the gift for narrative dance with detailed characterisation and powerful pas-de-deux that I first saw demonstrated in one of the ROH studios some 15 years ago. And in Northern Ballet's dancers she has found able and confident interpreters. A most satisfying evening, and my appreciation goes to all concerned. But her Witch Hunt (Hexenhatz) from her final season with her Bern company, and brought to the Linbury, retains its very special place in my heart. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 I don't suppose this has been filmed? Sadly I couldn't get to it and it sounds wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 On 18/05/2018 at 21:01, Lizbie1 said: Amid all the Swan Lake excitement, I forgot to post that I caught the Thursday matinee (featuring the wonderful pairing of Bateman and Torres). Bateman and Torres? Curses. Had I known ... I think it would have been Blow and Torres. Hannah has been dancing the role with Joe Taylor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 20, 2018 Author Share Posted May 20, 2018 I think it was more likely to have been Dreda Blow dancing with Javier Torres. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_New Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Yes, it was - and it was great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Sorry - I obviously wasn't paying attention when I typed that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Will report on this later....matinee as had a very late night as when I finally got back to Brighton I watched the whole of the Royal Wedding Coverage so was gone 2.30 am before got to bed! But I thought how appropriate to be watching one famous love story on the day another was being played out for real. Absolutely loved both!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 A thoughtful review: http://londonstudent.coop/northern-ballets-jane-eyre-at-sadlers-wells/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 A rather nice interview with Hannah Bateman: http://vivamanchester.co.uk/hannah-bateman-ultimate-heroine-northern-ballets-jane-eyre-interview/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 I will get around to reviewing this but last two weeks been a bit frenetic hopefully later today or tomorrow afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 6, 2018 Author Share Posted June 6, 2018 Goodness me, Northern Ballet were on fire at the Lowry tonight. Outstanding performance from Abigail Prudames, Mlindi Kulashe, Hannah Bateman et al. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 Audio feature with Cathy Marston: https://www.delvingintodance.com/podcast/cathy-marston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Just home from watching Jane Eyre at The Lowry. A beautiful performance by the whole cast. In particular I want to mention Rachel Gillespie as young Jane and Hannah Bateman as Jane Eyre. They are wonderful dancers. The orchestra were in fine form and the score was perfect for this ballet. The real star of Jane Eyre though is Cathy Marston. Yet again we are given an example of her amazing talent. Through out the ballet we were shown the strength of character of Jane, her will to survive, but never more so than in the final pdd. Marston's use of balances. Of Hannah Bateman supporting Joseph Taylor across her thighs whilst in a deep plie in 2nd, or when he performed a high arabesque supported again by Bateman. That movement in particular was just so beautiful that it will remain in my memory when I think of this ballet. Leaving the theatre, with my friend who had never seen a ballet by a female choreographer before, she was just so thrilled with the performance. I wished we could see more of Marston's work - it's surely time for Marston to work with the RB again and create a (3 act) ballet for the company. Her ability to create fantastic narrative ballets married with the technical and dramatic ability of the RB dancers would surely be a perfect match. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Very excited to see the show on Friday. Can't wait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Wonderful final performance at The Lowry last night. It was the first time I'd seen the production and I felt it really caught the essence of the novel. It was a fitting send-off for Dreda Blow who danced Jane, performing with the company for the last time. David Nixon paid a particularly heartfelt tribute to her on stage at the end, and I loved the fact that NB had produced a glossy insert to the programme paying tribute to the retiring dancer. Is this something other companies do? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 @ChrisG I've never seen that - but what a great idea. It's good to know the last night of this fantastic ballet went well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 1 hour ago, ChrisG said: I loved the fact that NB had produced a glossy insert to the programme paying tribute to the retiring dancer. Is this something other companies do? Back in the days (early 90s), the Royal Ballet would post an acknowledgement with photo and a brief overview of career for a retiring principal, but I think the last dancer to receive that may have been Wayne Eagling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, alison said: Back in the days (early 90s), the Royal Ballet would post an acknowledgement with photo and a brief overview of career for a retiring principal, but I think the last dancer to receive that may have been Wayne Eagling. So not all that common these days then - I thought it was a lovely idea, not least because it made clear to the audience the importance of the event. I was at Joseph Caley's last performance with BRB last season, but only realised it after the event, having wondered why he got extra special applause from his fellow dancers - it would have been nice for there to have been some sort of public announcement. On a related Northern Ballet topic, can I just give a shameless plug? The Northern Ballet season has now ended, but the Northern Ballet Sinfonia are doing a couple of concerts on 25th and 27th June at the Storyhouse community arts complex I volunteer at in Chester (yes, the place that the Queen and the Duchess of Sussex are visiting on Thursday!). Over the course of the two concerts you'll hear, amongst other stuff, Vaughan Williams (Serenade to Music/Lark Ascending), Gershwin (Porgy & Bess) and Fauré (excerpts from Pelleas et Melisande, as featured in Balanchine's Emeralds). Regular conductor Daniel Parkinson will be sharing conducting duties with students on the RNCM postgraduate conducting course. Edited June 10, 2018 by ChrisG 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 Northern Ballet showed three different casts for Jane Eyre at the Lowry. All were excellent. I loved the combinations of Hannah Bateman with Joseph Taylor and Abigail Prudames with Mlindi Kulashe and these 2 casts gave us splendid performances to enjoy. There were, however, 2 special, bittersweet performances this week celebrating the retirements of Northern Ballet favourites Victoria Sibson and Dreda Blow. These 2 wonderful dancers were in the same cast but they each got a valedictory performance. Both performances led by Dreda and Javier Torres with Victoria Sibson as Bertha Mason were intensely emotional and moving and the whole cast danced their hearts out. Both dancers were celebrated with a special programme insert. At the end of Thursday's performance David Nixon came on at the curtain calls and gave an emotional speech about Vicky and what she has achieved within the company. Vicky actually joined the company before she joined the company because David Nixon created the role of Young Cathy in Wuthering Heights on her when she was still at Central School of Ballet (and wonderful she was too!). She then joined the company on graduation. Vicky has always had a strong, dramatic stage presence and is a wonderful actor. She gave so much to the character roles in so many productions but she was also a fine dancer in leading roles. Who could ever forget her chilling performance as Myrtha in Yoko Ichino's beautiful, traditional production of Giselle. I think she is one of the strongest, most frightening Myrthas I have ever seen. She also excelled in her creation of Myrtle in David Nixon's Great Gatsby and was a sensuous and scintillating Gertrude in Hamlet. My favourite of her roles was Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was such a surprise when we saw her name on the cast sheet but she must count as the best Puck EVER in that production. Her creation of Bertha was breathtakingly passionate and deranged and it was a great role to end this phase of her career on. Similarly David Nixon gave an impassioned speech about Dreda on Saturday night. One of my earliest memories of Dreda within the company was when I was invited to attend a visually impaired workshop to give some feedback and Dreda was one of the dancers who participated. She was so warm and encouraging with the youngsters who took part. I think the first principal role I saw her in was Mina in David's Dracula but I have also loved her as Ophelia, Beatrice (in Ondine), a heartbreaking Juliet in Maillot's R&J, Daisy in Great Gatsby. While she also danced Henriette in Kenneth Tindall's Casanova she will remain unsurpassed in her created role of Bellino (the lady pretending to be a castrato) in the same ballet. Her co-creation (with Hannah Bateman) of Jane Eyre gave us a character that was true to the book but also showed us how relevant her character still is today. I personally will greatly miss these 2 wonderful dance actors and I know many NB fans feel the same. Very best wishes to Vicky and Dreda for the next phases of their careers and lives. Since David Nixon's tenure as AD it has become almost a regular feature that he celebrates dancers who have made a real impact on the company with a speech at their valedictory performance, going back to when Jeremy Kerridge retired. The programme insert is comparatively new and a lovely memory to have. And yes, I was an emotional wreck by the end of the week. This was the final week of the company's Spring tour and I can't wait for the Autumn tour to start! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Saw Friday JE and enjoyed it very much albeit I needed to have done a bit more homework to fully appreciate the story telling in the ballet - thanks to Janet for giving me some pointers. It was all very good and I really need to see again to pick up on the nuances going on so I will be keeping an eye out for it coming round again. I thought the set was very clever and the music - oh the music - could a score match a ballet more perfectly? And it was played beautifully by the NB Sinfonia. Even if the ballet had been rubbish the ticket would have been it worth for the music! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 @Jan McNulty thank you Jan for that lovely review of these two wonderful dancers. They will be sorely missed by their company and by us their very appreciative audience. Best wishes to them both. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) SO PLEASED to learn from an ABT Winter Gala announcement that Marston's JANE EYRE will be part of ABT's 2019 MET season. She SO deserves this recognition. The work is a fine one. Edited October 18, 2018 by Bruce Wall 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 3 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said: SO PLEASED to learn from an ABT Winter Gala announcement that Marston's JANE EYRE will be part of ABT's 2019 MET season. She SO deserves this recognition. The work is a fine one. Wow!!! How fantastic is this!!!! BTW, I noticed on the credits for the World Ballet Day film that Victoria is a co-production with National Ballet of Canada! Onwards and upwards Ms Marston. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 2 hours ago, Bruce Wall said: SO PLEASED to learn from an ABT Winter Gala announcement that Marston's JANE EYRE will be part of ABT's 2019 MET season. She SO deserves this recognition. The work is a fine one. Amazing news! I don’t want to take away from Northern Ballet, but the increased exposure for this ballet of being performed by a major company is so deserved: it seemed obvious that this is a work deserving wider uptake. It does makes me wonder anew at her continued absence from the RB’s roster, though... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 Well maybe now KoH will commission a full length ballet from Marston - her fans have been requesting this, or hoping, but if she's 'good enough' for ABT, NBoC and earlier this year SFB then he may be tempted (fingers crossed). I've had enough of WM. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 Gosh that’s NB damned by faint praise! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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