Linbury Cross Currents Triple Bill (Merce Cunningham Celebration)

[RobR]

Anyone seen it? I ask because I’m going tonight. 

[Tony Newcombe]

I saw it last night and really enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing it again tonight. Some quite challenging choreography 

in the first piece Cross Currents with Ball, Hayward and Magri. Will be interesting to see the second night cast of Sissens, Padjak and Roscoe

[Bruce Wall]

I also enjoyed it.  A nice mix .... Well timed without an interval - and a handsome film introduction to help draw strands together. 

[JNC]

2 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

I also enjoyed it.  A nice mix .... Well timed without an interval - and a handsome film introduction to help draw strands together. 

 

Agree with everything Bruce has said. I thought everything was excellently danced, the Royal Ballet showing they are capable of a diverse range. 

 

It's difficult to add much more comment as the pieces were quite fleeting and abstract but I could definitely see a clear connection between Cross Currents/Montones (both three dancers, about the intersection of their movements/repeating patterns). I really liked the costumes/staging of Everyone Keeps Me and it provided great opportunity for dancers involved. I was fully engaged throughout the hour and I really hope RB does more of these types of performances, the Linbury was a perfect smaller intimate venue for this type of thing. 

[Tebasile]

Loved it. It had a slightly experimental feel to it, which was a refreshing contrast to the polished work we're used to on the main stage. Cross Currents (interesting piece) felt a little wobbly, perhaps under-rehearsed, and it certainly looked fiendishly difficult rhythmically - so the brilliant performers are very much excused.

[JNC]

9 minutes ago, Tebasile said:

Loved it. It had a slightly experimental feel to it, which was a refreshing contrast to the polished work we're used to on the main stage. Cross Currents (interesting piece) felt a little wobbly, perhaps under-rehearsed, and it certainly looked fiendishly difficult rhythmically - so the brilliant performers are very much excused.

 

I agree it felt a little rough around the edges but I think this didn’t detract from the performance, I think it’s probably meant to look slightly improvised perhaps, considering Cunningham’s style? 

 

 

[MJW]

Some photos

 

https://photos.alastairmuir.com/Ballet/Royal-Ballet/Merce-Cunningham-Centennial/

[Lindsay]

3 hours ago, JNC said:

 

I agree it felt a little rough around the edges but I think this didn’t detract from the performance, I think it’s probably meant to look slightly improvised perhaps, considering Cunningham’s style? 

 

 

I agree - Cunningham’s thinking is that the process and difficulty shouldn’t be ‘concealed’ from the audience in the traditional way.  I saw both Thursday shows (via some confusion with a friend over tickets) and thought they were great.  The Cunningham was the standout and I found the Tanowitz interesting too and was glad in the end to see it twice because there was a lot going on. Calvin Richardson and Hannah Grennell in particular seemed really to have embraced and carried out the idea (central to Cunningham’s ethos and which Tankowitz was following) of revealing something of themselves as dancers on stage in a naturalistic way rather than ‘performing’.

 

The Monotones II performances were not the best I’ve ever seen but perfectly competent.  I thought the second group - Storm-Jensen, Donnelly and Dubreuil - did better than the first but I wonder whether that is because I was further away from the stage.  I think those costumes could do with replacing and close up they are just a bit too ridiculous to take seriously.  I am also going to risk offending the Ashton worshippers by saying that I found the opening manipulations of the woman quite uncomfortable, especially after the Cunningham where the women had equal agency with the male dancer.  The Ashton, although it does have some extremely beautiful passages, felt dated in a way that Cross Currents did not.

 

But overall an excellent evening and I would really welcome more short thoughtful programmes of this kind.
 

 

[JNC]

13 hours ago, Lindsay said:

I agree - Cunningham’s thinking is that the process and difficulty shouldn’t be ‘concealed’ from the audience in the traditional way.  I saw both Thursday shows (via some confusion with a friend over tickets) and thought they were great.  The Cunningham was the standout and I found the Tanowitz interesting too and was glad in the end to see it twice because there was a lot going on. Calvin Richardson and Hannah Grennell in particular seemed really to have embraced and carried out the idea (central to Cunningham’s ethos and which Tankowitz was following) of revealing something of themselves as dancers on stage in a naturalistic way rather than ‘performing’.

 

The Monotones II performances were not the best I’ve ever seen but perfectly competent.  I thought the second group - Storm-Jensen, Donnelly and Dubreuil - did better than the first but I wonder whether that is because I was further away from the stage.  I think those costumes could do with replacing and close up they are just a bit too ridiculous to take seriously.  I am also going to risk offending the Ashton worshippers by saying that I found the opening manipulations of the woman quite uncomfortable, especially after the Cunningham where the women had equal agency with the male dancer.  The Ashton, although it does have some extremely beautiful passages, felt dated in a way that Cross Currents did not.

 

But overall an excellent evening and I would really welcome more short thoughtful programmes of this kind.
 

 

 

I think Hannah Grennell really stood out - I've never noticed her before on the main stage (in fairness I usually sit in the amphi so anyone outside of the principals/soloists who for obvious reasons are easier to recognise I can't always distinguish) but I will definitely keep an eye out for her now. I thought she was very strong. 

 

I actually found the Montones costumes won me over! In pictures I think they look utterly bizarre but Clarke/Hamilton/Edmonds somehow managed to pull them off (it helps that they have perfectly toned bodies and flattering stage lighting I suppose). Hamilton even looked somewhat glamorous, the hats which I think are the worst part actually looked quite good under the lighting which caught the sparkled bits in them in a flattering way. They look very sixties, a bit Space Odyssey and I hope they're not redesigned actually! 

 

Whilst I agree with you on the Cunningham/Tanowitz pieces I think the Ashton hasn't dated at all, and I didn't get the same feeling you did regarding the opening manipulations. It's always interesting to read differing viewpoints, and I look forward to Montones returning to the main stage next year so I can discover new things! 

 

 

[Shade]

I thought this worked in the intimate space of the Linbury. I enjoyed Monotones most - and I do love that music. I think the costumes looked silly with the sparkles - especially the caps (made me think of a Woody Allen film)!