Thursday 04 February 2010
Rambert Dance Company: An Artful Ballet For The Modern World
Just when you think that the Rambert Dance Company seem to be heading into the safety zone, into the predictable, aiming to 'entertain' - just at the moment you begin to think all this is true - they come out and truly knock your socks off.
In a series of dance routines to mark part of the Darwin centenary celebrations, in a tour that kicked off at the Theatre Royal Brighton, the Company put together a truly talented set of choreographers.
The result is all polish and imagination, risks are taken but control is everything.
The final piece Tread Softly is amongst the very best this company has had to offer. Choreographed by the truly brilliant Henri Oguike and featuring the Music of Franz Schubert (String quartet, Death and the Maiden) it is an artful ballet for the modern world.
Rarely does a dance of this length (around 25 mins) command my full and total attention, leave me forgetting to breathe and on the very edge of my seat, but this did.
It is a sheer act of beauty, a terrible beauty at times, and often linked with death (I think), but still the kind of art that draws you in and holds you tight until it has finished with you.
The lighting was a major player in the work, and in the evening as a whole. Subtle tones of half light and shadow played across the dancers bodies as they carefully crafted their way around the stage.
The performance opened with Dutiful Ducks, a short work by the talented Richard Alston, only minutes long but captivating nonetheless, it formed the perfect entrée to the rest of the night.
Don't Think About It is exactly the kind of un-pretentious dance that I love. Stripped of the usual fuss and bother of much contemporary dance this funny, yet disturbing work was probably the favourite in the auditorium.
A man heavy breathing and stripping himself is suddenly called to halt by a (real) stage hand walking on and taking his microphone away; which was one of the most popular and funny moments of the evening.
For me the only disappointment was the piece actually called the Comedy of Change. There are times when we do not connect with a certain dance and this happened to me in this case.
Despite this the Rambert Dance Company has yet again delivered on a huge scale and if you have any interest in contemporary dance then this is the show for you this, and any, week.
The Rambert Dance Company @ Theatre Royal, Brighton until 6th February. See www.ambassadortickets.com/Theatre-Royal-Brighton, for more details.
by: Howard Young (Arts Editor)
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Polish & Imagination @ Theatre Royal Brighton
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