"Single-act" dance evenings?

[alison]

In an article in The Times linked to in today's Links, there is some suggestion that the Royal Opera House might be considering the possibility of holding single-act performances as this would at least avoid the risk of patrons non-socially distancing during intervals.  The Royal Ballet certainly has a number of single-act ballets which run for an hour or more - The Dream, Song of the Earth, Dances at a Gathering, for example - and would make for a reasonably meaty evening, but could perhaps two or more ballets be run more or less together to make up a single "act"?  It would probably require not too much in the way of sets (and dancers!), I think: it has been done with things like Afternoon of a Faun, (occasionally) Symphonic Variations, mixes of pas de deux (although this might be a bit bitty for a whole evening), and Kim Brandstrup's Invitus Invitam was specifically designed to precede La Valse.  The stripped-back Balanchine oeuvre would certainly work well because of a lack of sets.

 

I'm trying to think how this might apply to companies in general: quite a few performances at Sadler's Wells, for example, are only single-acters anyway, so it might be less of a problem there.

 

Unfortunately, this doesn't overcome the general problem of social distancing between the dancers, staff backstage and so on, but it's an interesting thought.

[Lizbie1]

I caught this season's Balanchine programme in Paris - Serenade and Concerto Barocco ran without an interval, about an hour together. I would very much prefer ROH to do this kind of thing wherever possible, Covid or no - far too many RB mixed bills seem to be more interval than dance IMO.

[Mary]

Interesting.

Short evenings would make getting home easier too. Those of us who need trains wouldn't be restricted to one or 2 late services. It would 'stagger' the evening and make travel less of a rush which helps with distancing.

 

The lack of  intervals would lose the theatre the revenue of interval refreshments of course,  but perhaps bars would be closed anyway.

 

If it's only an hour perhaps they  could have 3 performances in a day with different casts.

 

 In a more 'flexible ' world maybe more people can go to daytime performances, causing less congestion around rush hour and standard start times.

 

I would welcome -more frequent- short and intense performances:  it would focus the mind entirely on the reason we are there...

 

Lots of problems to overcome no doubt but it's good - cheering - to think about how  some changes in the future might actually be for the better in some ways (one can only hope.)

 

[zxDaveM]

3 minutes ago, Mary said:

 

 In a more 'flexible ' world maybe more people can go to daytime performances, causing less congestion around rush hour and standard start times.

 

 

I would be tempted to place a wager that they would manage to end an afternoon performance just as the homeward bound rush hour starts!

[zxDaveM]

Generally though - the non-interval performance doesn't overcome the problem of proximity in the corridors getting to seats and showing tickets and getting directions to those unfamiliar with the layout, or a pre/post show comfort break, or in the cafe/bar areas pre-show, for those avoiding a last minute mad dash to seats. Unless there is some sort of supermarket-like queue system to get into the theatre, and you just go straight to your seat (with different queues for different areas - be fun organising that, as some people are harder to organise than herding cats). Or, of course, how spaced out you are in your seat (or in my case, standing spot - would standing be allowed as you'd be too close to the people in the seats in front of you?) once you do get inside the auditorium - would the ticket prices have to rise exorbitantly if only a fraction of the auditorium capacity can be filled safely?

Lets hope the boffins manage to get an effective vaccine sorted out, and soon! I personally can't see any other way back to a sense of normality 😞

 

[Mary]

I know, Dave- there are so many difficulties.

I suppose I was pondering on future changes that might be a good idea anyway- for me, more and shorter perfomances (less expensive to stage- and getting more people into the theatre per day) would be a good thing in many ways.

 

[Blossom]

Just great news that they are scenario planning and have something deemed workable enough to action.

Also great news that the article (and more so the double page article in the Times 2 which is even more thorough coverage) suggests that dancers need to get back sooner than others to get back into condition.

However, the question is when this will happen. My workplace has said we are unlikely to reopen till September and even then will likley be on a shift basis.

Dancers will need a couple of months or so to get back into condition for the stage and there's the issue of social distancing and whether it's possible...

The Times 2 article also tried to explain that the reason why the ROH's streaming has been so poor is because they don't have the rights to a lot of their own content, but that something big is coming, possibly on reopening.

[Lizbie1]

1 hour ago, zxDaveM said:

Generally though - the non-interval performance doesn't overcome the problem of proximity in the corridors getting to seats and showing tickets and getting directions to those unfamiliar with the layout, or a pre/post show comfort break, or in the cafe/bar areas pre-show, for those avoiding a last minute mad dash to seats.

 

I keep seeing the suggestion when reading about these contact tracing apps that they're not really worried about brief interactions - it's more about being in someone's presence for 10 minutes or so.

[trog]

Back in 2002, The Royal Ballet Of Flanders did Swan Lake without an interval. It was a long haul, and to make matters worse, I didn't like the production much.

[jm365]

I was rather startled that the John Neumeier Illusions - Swan Lake was transmitted without intervals - was it done that way in the theatre?

[toursenlair]

36 minutes ago, jm365 said:

I was rather startled that the John Neumeier Illusions - Swan Lake was transmitted without intervals - was it done that way in the theatre?

 

no, there are usually intermissions in the theatre. But this film is a DVD and thus no intermissions.

[Jeannette]

Many modern dance (or modern ballet) performances consist of only one longish work, without interval, eg, the Eifman and Karol Armitage companies. I guess that, at some point, the paying audience  for traditional ballet may question if it’s getting its money’s worth. Will the ROH charge half price for half the performance time? I think not.

[ninamargaret]

while programmes consisting of one or two short ballets would be at leaders step in the right direction, it wouldn't help those who live outside London, or, being selfish and thinking of myself, who need taxi or similar help to get to the theatre. I can justify the cost for a full length ballet but would think twice about it for just 50 minutes,or so.

[Dawnstar]

10 minutes ago, ninamargaret said:

while programmes consisting of one or two short ballets would be at leaders step in the right direction, it wouldn't help those who live outside London, or, being selfish and thinking of myself, who need taxi or similar help to get to the theatre. I can justify the cost for a full length ballet but would think twice about it for just 50 minutes,or so.

 

Same here, living outside London. Given it takes me about 2 hours each way to get from my house to any of the central London theatres, I'm not likely to go unless the performance itself is 2 hours or more. This is why I've never been to any of the Insight Evenings; I don't feel it's worth about 4 hours of travel for only an hour or so of event. (Though as I currently can't even cope with walking past people in my village without feeling extremely anxious, I suspect by the time I feel comfortable going into any theatres the programming will be back to normal anyway.)

[Lizbie1]

It's more or less normal these days for the Flying Dutchman to run without an interval (at somewhere north of 2 hours) and the best production of Eugene Onegin I've seen had no interval (at something like 2 and a half hours).  Is there a reason that ballet goers are considered less hardy in this respect than opera goers? Or is it for the dancers' sake?

[ninamargaret]

1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

It's more or less normal these days for the Flying Dutchman to run without an interval (at somewhere north of 2 hours) and the best production of Eugene Onegin I've seen had no interval (at something like 2 and a half hours).  Is there a reason that ballet goers are considered less hardy in this respect than opera goers? Or is it for the dancers' sake?

some one act ballets have such complex sets - thinking of Dream, Enigma, that they need long intervals to allow for changes. As a veteran of several Ring cycles and Dutchman etc I've no problem with programmes without a break and certainly feel that ballets like Giselle and Fills don't need the long intervals they get. ( Bar profits come to mind). I'm sure ballet goers are no less hardy than operators but we seem to have so many ballets with complex scenery, lighting etc that I think we're stuck with half hour intervals!

[Lizbie1]

44 minutes ago, ninamargaret said:

some one act ballets have such complex sets - thinking of Dream, Enigma, that they need long intervals to allow for changes. As a veteran of several Ring cycles and Dutchman etc I've no problem with programmes without a break and certainly feel that ballets like Giselle and Fills don't need the long intervals they get. ( Bar profits come to mind). I'm sure ballet goers are no less hardy than operators but we seem to have so many ballets with complex scenery, lighting etc that I think we're stuck with half hour intervals!

 

I was wondering why more choreographers and stagers haven't experimented with forgoing an interval, rather than thinking we could perhaps adapt existing productions - though since you bring them up, I wonder whether Giselle and Fille could run in something like their current RB form with a five or ten minute pause only.

[FionaM]

Interesting how thoughts about the ‘no interval’ model are changing.

 

In August last year I found myself explaining (defending) Johan Kobborg’s new R&J which ran without an interval for 1.5 hours. 
 

I compared it to movies in the cinema (I.e. not a problem to stay seated for that length of time) and how the removal of the interval enhanced the continuity of the drama and heightened the emotional experience for the audience.  And that this model would improve the access for people travelling long distances to get home, or allow people to meet afterwards to unwind, compare notes over food/drinks.
 

During lockdown I’ve noticed a number of broadcasts where the ballets are 2.5 or even 3 hours ... and that is without intervals.  No wonder audience members are known to leave before the end!  

 

 

[bridiem]

Well of course most 3-act (or 2-act) ballets are made as such, with climaxes at the end of each act that would be greatly diluted if the action then just continued. And I think that 1.5 hours is probably the maximum to run without causing potential loo break issues. In a cinema it is after all possible to go out if really necessary in a way you wouldn't do in a theatre. I'd always prefer shorter intervals, as long as there's time for loo use if needed (inc queueing at the ladies, of course...). I don't understand the attraction (or advisability!!) of drinking during the intervals - I need to keep a completely clear head to appreciate what I'm seeing, and I think the performers deserve a fully sober audience! (I realise I'm probably in a minority in this opinion...). I also think that 1.5 hours is not very good value for money for a full evening show (unless the price is lower than usual, of course). I would only book for a show that length (unless the tickets were cheaper) if I was really confident I was going to like it and it was going to be worth it (e.g. some of Akram Khan's works, once I realised how wonderful they are). I know that in some triple bills the actual performing time is not much more than 1.5 hours, but at least you do get 3 different works and different sets and dancers, which is interesting and stimulating and would feel like better value even if still a bit skimpy on actual dancing time.

 

 

[Lizbie1]

The running time for Giselle is something like 1.5 hours, or little more than that.

 

15 minutes ago, bridiem said:

And I think that 1.5 hours is probably the maximum to run without causing potential loo break issues.

 

But opera audiences often go longer than that! I've just had a quick look at  https://www.theopera101.com/operas/runningtimes.html, which is by no means comprehensive, and there are about 20 operas listed with acts running for more than 90 minutes.

[capybara]

Don’t the dancers need an interval rest?

I would have thought that there are physical limits to many productions being performed live without a break.

[SheilaC]

The Paris Opera Ballet has been running two ballets together without an interval in some programmes for quite a few years. It is not something I have liked as it impairs one's concentration. However, given a trip to London involves nearly a 500 mile return journey for me, if that was the only way for the Royal to put on performances I would be much happier to go for a double bill like that than a single ballet (apart from the wonderful Dances at a Gathering).

[Lizbie1]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

Don’t the dancers need an interval rest?

I would have thought that there are physical limits to many productions being performed live without a break.

 

That's why I asked whether that was the reason - and why more choreographers hadn't been tempted to come up with longer works which could run without the interval.

[Sim]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

Don’t the dancers need an interval rest?

I would have thought that there are physical limits to many productions being performed live without a break.

There’s also the question of changing scenery, and the dancers changing costumes, etc.  
 

FionaE, only the very wealthy can afford to get tiddled at the ROH, and the interval doesn’t provide enough time.  I never have a drink there. It’s about being able to socialise with your friends, to share and discuss what you’re all experiencing.  I remember the debuts of Anna-Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambe in R&J.  In the first interval I sat with some other regulars and when we were able to speak it was so lovely to share with each other how emotional we all were.  How sterile it would be without that human, social aspect to a performance.  😢

[alison]

59 minutes ago, Sim said:

There’s also the question of changing scenery, and the dancers changing costumes, etc. 

 

Hence why I suggested the plethora of Balanchine works which don't require much in the way of scenery.  Dancers changing could probably be dealt with easily enough in many cases by having casts which didn't overlap.

[zxDaveM]

5 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

The running time for Giselle is something like 1.5 hours, or little more than that.

 

 

But opera audiences often go longer than that! I've just had a quick look at  https://www.theopera101.com/operas/runningtimes.html, which is by no means comprehensive, and there are about 20 operas listed with acts running for more than 90 minutes.

 

Run time for Giselle sans interval would be about 1hr 45mins. Same for Nutcracker roughly. Though you would probably have to have a bit of a pause (at least 5mins or so I would imagine) between the acts to change the scenery

[Lizbie1]

22 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

Run time for Giselle sans interval would be about 1hr 45mins. Same for Nutcracker roughly. Though you would probably have to have a bit of a pause (at least 5mins or so I would imagine) between the acts to change the scenery

 

Giselle seems to vary quite a lot by production - YouTube offers up anything between 90 and 110 minutes.

Edited May 20, 2020 by Lizbie1

[Sim]

1 hour ago, zxDaveM said:

 

Run time for Giselle sans interval would be about 1hr 45mins. Same for Nutcracker roughly. Though you would probably have to have a bit of a pause (at least 5mins or so I would imagine) between the acts to change the scenery

I think Giselle needs more than five minutes to change her costume and get her hair and makeup done for Act 2!  😄

[alison]

It's all right - doesn't she have a good 15 minutes before she's on in Act II?  

[Lizbie1]

I should probably clarify - when I first mentioned how short Giselle is, it was in response to a post saying 1.5 hours was poor value for money for an evening at the ballet and that you'd expect cheaper tickets as a result. It wasn't to suggest that Giselle should run straight through, though I do think it could be done with a pause rather than an interval. (Dancers' stamina permitting.)

[Sim]

1 hour ago, alison said:

It's all right - doesn't she have a good 15 minutes before she's on in Act II?  

Yes, but she has to be dressed, coiffed and made up, and then walk from the dressing room to the wings with a few minutes to spare...

[LinMM]

Years ago Giselle was always run with a shorter ballet like L'Apres Midi d'un Faune.

 

I know this won't be a popular view but until things genuinely return to some sort of normality cannot the Opera House do as suggested in some previous posts here ....have pauses between Acts of shorter bállets or two shorter bállets together etc but have people attend at their own risk? 

Many people under the age of 45 would probably be much happier to take certain risks to attend and older people would have to decide individually how feasible it was for them to attend. Even if this means I wouldn't be able to attend myself for a while yet😢

But the ROH might be able to open up with at least some audience there rather than wait until it's absolutely safe which might be two years away 😳

[Sim]

I would very happily sign a disclaimer saying that I won’t hold the ROH responsible if I attend a performance (assuming the dancers are allowed to dance...how can there be social distancing in a performance?) and then get sick.  I would rather risk it and have some enjoyment in my life rather than the misery that it is now.  I agree with Lizbie that perhaps people should be given the choice.  A vaccine, if it happens at all, is a good way away, as is a cure.  Neither has been successful for any of the other coronaviruses.  Let’s hope this is the first.