Two Pigeons Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 1 hour ago, George C said: Thank you Sim for your reply to my thread about the shows in London. As you can see, there has been quite a lot of feed back on the forum and more than usual coverage from the national press. I am very much looking forward to Polarity. I saw the premiere of Kin at the IDF and twice since and was very impressed each time. I was curious about Embrace but it looks as if it will tick the boxes. I am a fanatical fan of Upper Room. As I was in my eighties the last time BRB danced it I didn’t dare hope that I would ever see it again yet here I am two weeks short of my 89th birthday all ready to bounce in my seat with sheer joy ! Thanks to a kind friend offering me a bed for the night I am also going to be able to attend the farewell on 30th. If you run out of tissues Janet just wave your empty box at the front row of the circle. I shall be taking more than enough. They have both given us so many memorable performances that it will be almost unbearable to watch this one. Plus the fact that Nao and Ambra Vallo have always been my two favourite BRBs Juliets . It was so sad when we lost one and now we are losing the other. One final point, which may be connected to earlier correspondence regarding late casting.....where are all the ballet goers in Birmingham ? A shocking, more than half empty theatre for the Thursday matinee this week and even the farewell night on the 30th has acres of empty seats.So sad. A VERY Happy Birthday for 2 weeks time George C. I really hope you enjoy hugely the BRB season in Birmingham. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 A lovely greeting - thank you very much. I am sure that I will have two memorable performances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Wishing you the happiest of birthdays in advance, George.....and may you keep bouncing in your seat for many years to come! xx 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 25, 2018 Author Share Posted June 25, 2018 There's a great featurette about the sword fighting on the BRB website: https://www.brb.org.uk/post/fighting-the-good-fight-behind-the-scenes-with-stage-combat-in-romeo-juliet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 Blog post from Birmingham just in: http://www.bethaninbrum.co.uk/2018/06/review-romeo-juliet-birmingham-royal.html?m=1 And a review: http://www.seeingdance.com/brb-romeo-and-juliet-27062018/ And another one: https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/theatre-and-comedy/2018/06/27/birmingham-royal-ballets-romeo-and-juliet-birmingham-hippodrome---review-with-pictures/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 And another one: http://www.behindthearras.com/Reviewspr/2018/ReviewsPRapr-jun/romeo-and-juliet-BRB06-18.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 And a lovely review from ToThePointe: http://tothepointemagazine.wixsite.com/tothepointemagazine/single-post/2018/06/27/Birmingham-Royal-Ballets-Romeo-and-Juliet 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 2 outstanding performances today - Matthews/Atsuji and Gittens/Lawrence. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 I’m on my phone so please excuse any typos! Yesterday turned out to be a special one for Birmingham audiences! In the afternoon we were treated to a sublime performance from Yasuo Atsuji and Delia Matthews. Both danced sincerely and passionately and they looked fabulous together. Delia beautifully portrayed the young girl on the cusp of womanhood and you could see her “growing up” before our eyes. Yasuo was a “lad about town” who was smitten by her at first sight. They were romantic and increasingly passionate as their love strengthened. The tomb scene was heartbreaking. Max Maslen was scintillating to watch as Mercutio, subtly cocky and sublime dancing. Feargus Campbell was all understated menace as Tybalt. Last night’s performance by Brandon Lawrence and Celine Gittens was very, very special indeed. Again both dancers portrayed young people falling passionately in love and quickly growing up with the reality of what was happening to them. They had a wonderful connection on stage and I was just swept away by the emotions. Their attention to the tiny details of gestures imbued every movement with meaning. I was in floods by the end. Lachlan Monaghan was a real Jack-the-lad Mercutio and was exciting to watch. Valentin Olovyannikov was a nasty and powerful Tybalt. All the Company sparkled in these 2 performances. What I liked was the company going about their daily lives in Verona but then getting hooked in by the youngsters. I thought everyone was vivid in their portrayals. I could just imagine being out in the market doing a bit of shopping and “being seen” but then getting drawn in watching the antics of the young men carousing with the harlots and tutting away to myself. BRB are truly on scintillating form at the moment! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 In total agreement with Janet about the matinee yesterday. Also about the standard of the company at the moment. TWO artists(not even first artists)appearing in important roles Haolian Feng (apologies if I have spelt that wrong) as Benvolio and Gabriel Anderson as Paris. Both important roles and both very well danced. And what on earth has happened to Max Maslen. I have always thought that he is a good dancer. I saw his debut as Franz in Coppelia and thought that he danced well. Suddenly this man explodes on to the stage inPolarity and Proximity - outstanding in Embrace and now, as Janet said, brilliant as Mercutio. There is so much talent in the company at the moment. On a personal note may I thank those kind friends for their good wishes on my approaching birthday. I am still bouncing in my seat ( not for R and J) but in case I appear to be a culprit of Janet’s bad audience behaviour thread I have very dear friends sitting behind me who keep me in control. Tissues at the ready for Saturday night. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 Last night was Jenna Roberts’ final performance before retiring. Before the start David Bintley came on stage and gave a brief speech about Jenna and the occasion. The entire performance was utterly glorious, with Jenna showing exactly why Juliet is her “signature” role. The company most definitely rose to the occasion. There was a flower shower at the curtain calls and, of course, a standing ovation. Jenna looked radiant at the end of this memorable evening. Thanks for all your wonderful performances Jenna! Best wishes for the future. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Many thanks to both George C and Janet for their reports on the performances this week. I am sure they will have an absolutely fabulous time, even if in floods of tears, tonight. I envy them both. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Thanks so much for posting this - it shows the affection from her colleagues! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 It made me cry, and I wasn't even there! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 I always liked her best as Juliet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 A beautiful, beautiful dancer - never saw her Juliet but so grateful to have seen her in anything at all, frankly! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Also! I love how she takes the applause like a "normal", not a ballet dancer: shows how moved she was herself! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 1, 2018 Author Share Posted July 1, 2018 Well tonight was doubly emotional with the retirement performances of Nao Sakuma and Chi Cao. Again, David Bintley came on stage before the start to make a short speech and invite the audience to join in the celebration of their glorious careers. It was an intensely emotional performance with both dancers rolling back the years. The whole company sparked off them and made it a very special show indeed. There was a standing ovation and flower shower and Nao, especially, was overcome. Of course I, and many others, wept buckets. Very best wishes to Nao and Chi for the future and thanks to them both for all the wonderful memories they have given me. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 I just want to thank everyone who has posted their own thoughts or directed us to reviews/blogs about BRB performances. I haven't been able to catch the Company recently and what you and others have written has provided a lovely insight. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 Didn't want to start a new thread especially for this but, looking ahead to next week's performances of Fille in Bristol, Debra Craine in The Times describes the ballet as a "hymn to the English countryside". Really? And I've been coveting that French chateau in the distance for all these years..............!!!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 1, 2018 Author Share Posted July 1, 2018 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 Lovely videos, thank you Jan and what a wonderful reminder of Saturday evening. I had to reach for a tissue just remembering it.. The whole company were quite brilliant and Nao and Chi as superb as ever.. one felt as if they could go on dancing forever .......if only ! Coming back down to earth, I must mention that at the curtain calls - and remember that it was at the end of Romeo and Juliet AND two farewell performances the guy sitting next to me, seeing Nao’s tears turned to his partner and asked, “Why is she crying.”. Oh dear. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 On 01/07/2018 at 11:02, capybara said: Didn't want to start a new thread especially for this but, looking ahead to next week's performances of Fille in Bristol, Debra Craine in The Times describes the ballet as a "hymn to the English countryside". Really? And I've been coveting that French chateau in the distance for all these years..............!!!!! The characters' names rather suggest it's France as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 5 minutes ago, RuthE said: The characters' names rather suggest it's France as well... The ROH website cites Ashton's love for the Suffolk countryside where he lived, and says that 'Ashton affectionately incorporated elements of national folk dance into his choreography, from a Lancashire clog dance to a maypole dance, making La Fille mal gardée – despite its title – emphatically English.' I think I experience it as English with a French (and a placeless, and timeless) flavour. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Colas's dance with the wine bottles definitely seems French to me. Many years ago there was a lively correspondence in the Dancing Times because ROH had the wrong shaped bottles, Burgundy rather than Bordeaux! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 (edited) 22 hours ago, Pas de Quatre said: Colas's dance with the wine bottles definitely seems French to me. Many years ago there was a lively correspondence in the Dancing Times because ROH had the wrong shaped bottles, Burgundy rather than Bordeaux! I agree - Saw Fille on Saturday night at the POB and the stunning Germain Louvet gave that solo a charming Gallic twist which the capacity audience received with rapture. Also had a chance to tell the ASTONISHING Dylan Wald how much I admired his life enriching performances (2) in PNB's fine etching of Opus 19/The Dreamer as he was sitting just below me at the Palais Garnier. At the second of the two performances of the Robbins in which he appeared the audience applauded so much at the end of the first movement when he was left alone on the stage - and throughout the blackout - that the second almost had to be delayed. The recognition was SO well deserved. There is no question: THIS LAD IS A STAR. His gloriously dramatic shift of weight; the use of his eyes and his overall musicality ensure such. 'Oh, my gosh,' he said, 'Thank you'. I said that I very much hoped that he might one day dance in London. 'I'd love to he said'. Fingers crossed. Edited July 3, 2018 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 3, 2018 Author Share Posted July 3, 2018 35 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said: I agree - Saw Fille on Saturday night at the POB and the stunning Germain Louvet gave that solo a charming Gallic twist which the capacity audience received with rapture. Also had a chance to tell the ASTONISHING Dylan Wald how much I admired his life enriching performances (2) in PNB's fine etching of Opus 19/The Dreamer as he was sitting just below me at the Palais Garnier. At the second of the two performances of the Robbins in which he appeared the audience applauded so much at the end of the first movement when he was left alone on the stage - and throughout the blackout - that the second almost had to be delayed. The recognition was SO well deserved. There is no question: THIS LAD IS A STAR. His gloriously dramatic shift of weight; the use of his eyes and his overall musicality ensure such. 'Oh, my gosh,' he said, 'Thank you'. I said that I very much hoped that he might one day dance in London. 'I'd love to he said'. Fingers crossed. Would this be better in a separate thread about ? as it has no relevance to BRB performing R&J? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: Would this be better in a separate thread about ? as it has no relevance to BRB performing R&J? Agree, Jan ... but it was directly inspired by the three previous comments about Fille which were (I suppose) all off explicit topic too ... No question I am much looking forward to BRB's take on that classic soon - a ballet full of sun. So hope you and the pup are enjoying your time in that same, Jan. But now ... BACK to BRB's R&J ... Quite right too!! Edited July 3, 2018 by Bruce Wall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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