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Midnight Express - Half Price Tickets and other news

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Amelia

Amelia

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I don't usually enjoy fims with violent scenes, which is quite a fashion now.

I find some 'rough' scenes in ballet not very much to my taste.

However, I bought a ticket for 'Midnight Express' as early as I could for three reasons:

Polunin, Zelensky, Eagling.

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MAB

MAB

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This may be the final nail in the coffin of any hopes he might have of an international career, To walk out on one company is bad enough, but to walk out on two.... If I were a director looking around for a guest artist I'd choose someone reliable.

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chrischris

chrischris

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This may be the final nail in the coffin of any hopes he might have of an international career, To walk out on one company is bad enough, but to walk out on two.... If I were a director looking around for a guest artist I'd choose someone reliable.

 

I don't want to judge until I know the details, but that was my first reaction.

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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From what I understand there was a meeting with the press agents last night and they are still deciding if there are to be ANY press invites AT ALL.  That is a SURE sign that MANY WILL show up and pay for their tickets.  That ploy has been used in the past.  Most famously most recently by SPIDERMAN in NYC.  In this instance, I'm not certain it would, - (well, perhaps anywhere BUT in the UK where traditional memories seem more marked - drawing a reference say from the situation with Tudor works at the RB) - have ANY effect on Polunin's future dancing career AT ALL.  In the larger scheme of things, he already has a permanent contract which he is fulfilling and a goodly number of other guesting commitments.  (Didn't he recently guest in London with that RB? ... LOL)  One would have thought he would have been in rehearsal anyway - given that it is a new production opening next week!!!  I'm certain that LENDORF would have happily walked from THAT delightful trilogy if he could have !!! ... and, quite frankly, who would have blamed him.  Perhaps he now wishes he had.  Who knows?  Both productions will, in short order I fear, be but footnotes.  Indeed, there may well be directors who would applaud Polunin for such a move.  Last night one of the dancers who had been papering for Schaufuss (who will remain nameless) said it would be better to come to the Hamlet at the Bloomsbury than 'anything else'.  Neither prospect attracts me, I fear.  Sad, as I was a Schaufuss fan when I first saw him dance in Canada, then with NYC Ballet followed by LFB/ENB.  Some things are better left as they were. This is an especially sad tide, methinks, as I felt some promise for the Schaufuss regime with the Osipova/Vasiliev appearances in Ashton's Romeo and Juliet (even IF one had to suffer the extraordinary lack of taste that was Wayne Sleep!!!  That, at least, seemed but momentary.)  What was it my mother used to say ... something about some things being better left well alone!   

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MAB

MAB

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From what I understand there was a meeting with the press agents last night and they are still deciding if there are to be ANY press invites AT ALL.  That is a SURE sign that MANY WILL show up and pay for their tickets.  That ploy has been used in the past.  Most famously most recently by SPIDERMAN in NYC.  In this instance, I'm not certain it would, - (well, perhaps anywhere BUT in the UK where traditional memories seem more marked - drawing a reference say from the situation with Tudor works at the RB) - have ANY effect on Polunin's future dancing career AT ALL.  Especially were he to, perhaps, have left for 'artistic differences'.  I'm certain that LENDORF would have happily walked from THAT delightful trilogy if he could have !!! ... and, quite frankly, who would have blamed him.  Perhaps he now wishes he had.  Both productions will, in short order, be but footnotes.  Indeed, there may well be directors who would applaud Polunin for such a move ... (if it is true) ... Last night one of the dancers who had been papering for Schaufuss (who will remain nameless) said it would be better to come to the Hamlet at the Bloomsbury than 'anything else'.  Neither prospect attracts me, I fear.  Sad, as I was a Schaufuss fan when I first saw him dance in Canada, then with NYC Ballet followed by LFB/ENB.  Some things are better left as they were it might appear. This is, perhaps, an especially sad tide to turn as I felt promise held for his regime with the Osipova/Vasiliev appearances in Ashton's Romeo and Juliet.  What was it my mother used to say ... something about leaving well enough alone!

Yes, but Polunin knew exactly what Schaufuss's stock in trade was when he signed up for this. Unless he is injured (and there is no mention of injury) then he should have honoured his commitment to dance. End of.
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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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You are right MAB.  I did not realise - until I read the Evening Standard piece that he WAS ALREADY HERE IN LONDON.  That is QUITE a different kettle of fish.  'Unforeseen' surely is NOT good enough in such circumstances.  For this reason, I think (as I thought before) that it will be extremely prudent for him NOT to return to the RB certainly.  What kind of example would THAT be setting given his past history?  His farewell there was an honorable one and a more than gracious gesture by the management.  As far as that institution is concerned, it should be: Goodbye. Good luck.  I wonder if the Stanislavsky Ballet WILL be playing here with their Coppelia now as was rumoured.  I was looking forward to that.  I know it's not been confirmed.  Perhaps now it NEVER will be.  Sad. 

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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Very interesting that Zelensky's disappearance has not ALSO been mentioned in the news items quoted .... This is from Bloomberg a few hours ago;

 

 

Zelensky, who hovered over him during the London rehearsal [on March 27], was meant to dance the role of a jailer in “Midnight.”

He isn’t reachable either, according to the company.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-04/tattooed-dancer-sergei-polunin-disappears-in-u-k-again.html

Has Zelensky been replaced for 'unforeseen circumstances' I wonder?  ......  

Seems the plot thickens .... 

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billboyd

billboyd

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It would appear Igor Zelensky was back in Russia when the story broke. Mr Shaufuss needs to 'come clean'.

 

He is giving this story a 'spin' (the bad boy does it again) with no mention of Igor Zelensky.

 

It would seem Igor and Sergei left together. For the same reason?

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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Here is an article in The Independent ... which suggests that ALL might not have been as PS chose to relay it.  

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/sergei-polunin-drops-out-of-midnight-express-at-london-coliseum-days-before-opening-night-8560542.html

 

I fear this bodes poorly for Peter Schaufuss Ballet's production.  Polunin is secure in Russia and I'm certain that is where he will stay.  We can ALL tune into 'Everything with Sergei Polunin' after all!  Who knows, given the rich history, such a programme might well prove the kind of thing that would be of keen interest to the BBC, given their 'reality' history with a certain theatrical Lord. 

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Ann Williams

Ann Williams

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Peter Schaufuss- choreographer of ‘Midnight Express’ - the ballet in question -  appeared on the BBC Breakfast show this morning’   Here’s the clip:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22038504.   The ballet looks tough and interesting, and I was struck with the reference to Christopher Bruce's 'Swansong'  in the excerpt shown  (much business with chairs etc,).  I’ll certainly buy a ticket.


 


 

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Ann Williams

Ann Williams

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Peter Schaufuss, choreographer and producer of ‘Midnight Express’  appeared on the BBC Breakfast show this morning’  Here’s the clip:   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22038504.  

 

The ballet looks tough and interesting - I was particularly struck with the reference to Christopher Bruce's 'Swansong'  in the excerpt shown  (much business with chairs etc.). I’ll be buying a ticket.


 


 

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Ian Macmillan

Ian Macmillan

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I'm just chipping in to say that, over on Twitter, this incident is demonstrating once again the desperate limitations of the 140-character format for anyone trying to present reasoned argument.

 

That said, in so many ways, we appear to be back where we were just over a year ago, with no real idea of what's going on.  And is it just coincidence that London has suffered two walkouts?  Were it not for the reception afforded his M&A performances with Ms Rojo a few weeks ago, I'd be tempted to wonder if he has a message for the city's audiences.  Whatever the case, Directors are surely going to have to think long and hard before offering him more guest work over here.

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billboyd

billboyd

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Ian - I do not think this is a repeat of last year. (And last year he did tell Monica Mason he was leaving)

 

Peter Schaufuss was very 'slippery' in his response to questions on BBC Breakfast this morning. Very disingenuous. He is claiming that Sergei left without a word and he is not in his hotel room. 

 

When asked, ' Was there any indication there was a problem?' he spoke of his first contact with Sergei sometime last year.....The BBC interviewer asked, 'Shouldn't you be trying to find him?' A good question if Sergei had left without a word. According to PS Sergei is a 'missing person'.

 

He said nothing of Igor Zelensky. 

Edited by billboyd
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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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Thanks so Ann for the clip.  Very interesting piece.  Would have preferred I think to see the dance clip from MIDNIGHT EXPRESS though that you referenced.  Strange though that NO mention by PS was made of Zelensky being 'missing' and not appearing either.  ..... Oh dear, I see that I and 'billboyd' were thinking exactly the same thing at exactly the same time.  A case of 'SNAP' as t'were. 

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Ann Williams

Ann Williams

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Meunier - so sorry that they appear to have cut the dance part out of the Schaufuss interview - it can't have lasted more than 90 secs.  The brief piece of Schaufuss' choreography  looked promising, but was probably carefully chosen by Scaufuss himself for maximum impact, so it may have been the best bit of the whole show!

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lartiste

lartiste

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I planned to visit London on 14th or 15th to see Sergei perform after I was blown away with his performance in Marguerite and Armand at the Royal Opera House in February. I'm glad I have not yet purchased a ticket. I guess if Sergei has walked away he will have his reasons, however it's unfortunate that whatever their artistic differences they couldn't work something out. There's a time and a place for never complain never explain but if Sergei isn't forthcoming this is going to negatively impact upon his reputation.

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