BRB mini-tour - Seasons in our World & Peter & the Woolf, May 2019.

[George C]

Did no Forum members go to see the show in Cheltenham? I am anxious to hear opinions of the touring  programme before I see it at Shrewsbury.

[Jan McNulty]

I can only go to Shrewsbury this time.

[trog]

I'm seeing it in Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

[Tony Newcombe]

On my way to Northampton at the moment

[Tony Newcombe]

Have just seen matinee in Northampton. Absolutely wonderful. Three in house choreographers, two of them real newbies, have created the magnificent Seasons. Peter(Petra) and the Wolf is very good as well.

[George C]

Thanks Tony. I was looking forward to Saturday anyway but you have increased my feeling of anticipation.

Plus there is still Hobson’s to come. Bring it on !

[George C]

Now I know ! I enjoyed Seasons in our World. Attractive setting with very atmospheric lighting. Satisfying choreography with Winter particularly impressive. Very well danced and a shame that it will not be seen in Birmingham. 

I went expecting to tolerate Peter and the Wolf knowing the music inside out from my teaching days but I have say that Ruth has been brill (sorry). No unimaginative meadow, tree and pond but and urban setting with scaffolding and backyard bits that give much scope for invention. A cute girl (Petra?) as Peter, the bird is a hip/hoppy lad in a tracky outfit, the wolf is an angsty teenager in a hoodie, the cat is a very sexy young lady in very short skirt, the duck is a dumb young lady lost in her headphones, grandad is a baseball becapped  almost adult teenager and, best of all, the hunters are a group of young ladies obviously out on the pull. Excellent choreography, some lovely humorous touches, a ‘ let’s get on with story and no messing about’ approach and for me a total success. I eagerly await seeing it again in Birmingham.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by Ian Macmillan
Default Font size is 14

[Jan McNulty]

I saw both performances in Shrewsbury yesterday.

 

I thought Seasons in our World was terrific.  After 2 views I want to see it again!  Although choreographed by 3 people (Laura Day, Lachlan Monaghan and Kit Holder) all three sections melded together to make a complete whole.  The music was tuneful and appropriate with the odd nod to Vivaldi and what sounded like Eastern European folk music.  The costumes were simple and effective and the lighting was superb.

 

All three choreographers had created beautifully lyrical dance with a couple of beautiful duets for Samara Downs and Yasuo Atsugi and Alys Shea with Alexander Yap.

 

Peter and the Wolf was a delight from start to finish and a perfect introduction for children going to the ballet for the first time.  It was stylish and witty and the cast danced their hearts out.  Ruth Brill has set the stage in an urban landscape but the story is the familiar one.  Peter (Petra) is danced by Laura Day who is just perfect in the role.  Mathias Dingman was a very threatening wolf indeed.  Ruth had made some gorgeous fast, deft choreography for the bird as danced by the quicksilver Tzu Chao Chou.

 

There was a fascinating talk with Ruth and Laura before the evening performance.

 

Both pieces are around 35 minutes each so with the interval the programme is about 90 minutes long.