The Mother by Arthur Pita at The Southbank Centre

[Mandy Kent]

The Mother

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/133037-mother-2019

 

A powerful narrative dance production based on Hans Christian Andersen's dark tale, choreographed by Arthur Pita and starring Natalia Osipova.

International dance superstar Osipova, principal of the Royal Ballet, stars alongside multi-award winning dancer Jonathan Goddard. The Mother is set to original live music by Frank Moon and Dave Price and is choreographed by Arthur Pita, the choreographer of critically acclaimed productions The Metamorphosis and The Glass Menagerie.

As a young single mother sets out to save her child, she must face fantastic creatures, impossible trials and cross the line between life and death itself. Will she succumb to the forces of evil, or will the power of motherhood prevail?

With an original score by Frank Moon and Dave Price, design by Yann Seabra, lighting by David Plater and dramaturgy by Anna Rulevskaya. Produced by Alexandrina Markvo.

Presented by Bird & Carrot.

20 Jun 2019 - 22 Jun 2019 

WHERE  Queen Elizabeth Hall 

PRICING

£30 - £70 

Booking fee: £3.00 (Members £0.00) 

 

[Mandy Kent]

I’m going on Thurs 20th . I’ve heard this is well worth seeing. It was on in Edinburgh and had good reviews though sounds very bleak and powerful! 

https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2018/mother-starring-natalia-osipova-arthur-pita-eicc-edinburgh/

[ajf]

I saw this in Edinburgh in December. I would recommend it as a very interesting work but I took a non-dance friend who was so traumatised by the unseasonal nature of the performance that we had to go for a restorative and soothing cup of tea after to calm his jangled nerves. 

 

Both performers gave remarkably committed performances which I would say was more Tanztheater than pure dance. The set is very inventive and rotating with three different spaces but this does limit the space on stage for movement. 

 

I would advise that for the most rewarding viewing it would be worth doing some homework on the HC Anderson story on which the evening is based. 

[Amelia]

The Story of a Mother (1848) by Hans Christian Andersen

http://hca.gilead.org.il/sandhill.html

[annamk]

I went to see this yesterday afternoon. 

 

I hadn't planned to because I diliked The Wind and Run Mary Run but the Osipova film intrigued me so I booked a ticket offer. The hall was only about 2/3 full so I was able to move up and sit close to the stage. 

 

I thought it was a very powerful, raw, intense and clever piece of dance theatre with strongly committed performances from Osipova and Goddard. 

 

The Arts Desk & Telegraph reviews capture the essence of it very well. 

 

I hope it will return, I'd definitely go and see it again. 

[Shade]

Thanks Annamk I thought of going but having read about it wasn’t sure that I could cope with the sound of infant crying for that length of time! Probably best not viewed by expectant or new mothers I think.