Decadance, Batsheva Dance Company, State Theatre, Melbourne Festival, Thursday October 15th 2015

Decadance, Batsheva Dance Company, State Theatre, Melbourne Festival, Thursday October 15th 2015

I have seen Batsheva Dance Company perform about four or five times before and was not disappointed this time with "Decadance".  They are a superb group of athletic artists.  They performed at the State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne for the Melbourne Festival.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.

Entering the theatre the usher did not have any programmes.  I earlier went to the programme sellers and they were selling the 30th Anniversary book that I had bought last Saturday. I thought it odd that there was not a programme in sight with any of the audience members in our area in the stalls, and so I resigned myself that there was not a programme.  Meeting up with friends, who had sat in the Balcony, after the show had received a programme.  I write this review without any reference to the programme notes.

Upon entering the theatre a male dancer was warming up on stage with phrases from dances.  He kept us entertained as people assumed their seats and he received warm applause.  Extra security was evident throughout the theatre and reminded me of the famous final performance scene from "A Sound Of Music".    This extra security was interesting as the usual prevalence of mobile phones had been turned off, except for a blonde woman in F Row who just had to write a text.  Doesn't she know that there is no coverage and it will not be sent until after the show.  She proceeded to take out a pad for notes - maybe a reviewer who should know better to be a role model and turn her phone off prior to the performance.

I think the official performance began at 7.38 when the male dancer went upstage and began a new sequence.  The other dancers now joined him in the pulsating and individual solos.  It appeared totally improvised and it became more exciting when all of the dancers simultaneously synchronised their movements. The ensemble danced in unison briefly and the curtain quickly fell and was a very funny beginning to the "Decadance".

The curtain opens and fifteen dancers are in a semi circle seated on chairs.  The dancers all wear the same costume of a white shirt under a black jacket, Their shoes and trousers are also black.  They perform swirling, reaching and yearning movements.  There is a repeated canon of the dancers who lean back in their seats with their arms and legs outstretched.  The last dancer falls forward off their seat and performs a short solo in mainly a prone position.  The repeated seated dance is very spiritual and respectful. It is also similar to an initiation as if he must succumb to be accepted This canon is repeated many times with the same man falling from his seat.  Later canons have a central man jump onto his seat. In contrast his solos are upright.

The dancers throw off their hats and continue to dance.  Later they discard their shoe then their jackets and finally their trousers,  The dance is so pulsating and reminded me of Ravel's "Bolero" as it is so exciting and builds intensity both musically and choreographically.

This first piece segued with the fading of the lights, the dancers scooping up their costumes as six men stepped forward into a line.

These six men stood forming a line in a tunnel of light.  They created a dance whereby the line would move either to the right or left that was hypnotic.  A new dancer would join the formation as one would leave the group.  This was repeated in the opposite direction with a new member joining the group.  This piece had a different mood to the opening.  To me it was so much about respect for the dancers that have been a part of Batsheva Dance Company as it is also about welcoming new members to the ensemble.

The segues or transitions from one piece to the next were clean.  There was a trio of two women and a man.  This piece was quieter and more reflective with weaving in and out between of the other dancers.

The joy of Batsheva Dance Company is their exciting and exhilarating homage to folkloric traditions and rhythms. Simple gestures or movements are embellished with such grace and dignity. Sometimes the dancers are required to vocalise with either a chant or song in such a compelling and determined manner.

Another sequence was a column of five dancers who would each step forward, expose their mid torso and return to the back of the column.  Later each dancer would be reveal their back and return to the back of the column.  This sequence reminded me of Pina Bausch's "1980" with each dancer competing to show their scars or wounds.  Choreographically Batsheva's version was so different to the competitive nature of Pina Bausch but the mood of exposition and sharing was similar.  We, as the audience were witnessing the dancers ability to share.

There is another large ensemble piece with fifteen dancers.  They again wear their hats and black suits.  Each dancer performs a variation of a gyrating shimmy.  "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" plays at some stage.  Later they turn to the audience and walk forward.  It is quite sinister as they walk towards and into the audience as the house lights are brought up.

Each dancer walks up the aisles selecting a victim and escorts them to the stage.  There are various expressions of fear, trepidation and excitement on the faces of the audience members.  They dance to
Dean Martin's "Sway".  The audience members can improvise with the professional dancers and are also guided into their choices.  Sometimes a Batsheva dancer would try to spin or lift an audience member.  These moments were magical when they either failed or were choreographically in harmony as we were watching the joy of dancing and sharing.  The audience cheered and applauded and you could feel the State Theatre rise with joy.

The dancers coerced the audience members into the centre of a circle as they danced around them. One female audience member was left upstage left to roars of laughter from the crowd.  The spontaneity of this dance made my heart swell.  I have tears of joy while remembering the incredibly powerful moments that all of these people shared.  The audience members were directed to their seats and the audience wildly greeted them back into the audience.

A lone audience woman was dancing centre stage with a Batsheva man.  She cringed at the attention she was receiving and the audience cheered her.  Suddenly all of the Batsheva dancers fall to the ground and this lone woman in a red dress is left awkwardly standing centre stage.  The audience went wild at the end with cheers and thunderous applause.

Another piece I will call "Numbers" as a counting sequence is repeated (in Yiddish?) with one, one two, one two three, one two three, one two three four etc.  Each counting sequence building with an extra new count.  The phrases would coincide with the repetitive moves for each count.  New phrases would be danced with each new grouping.

The final sequence had a female dancer show her hands.  It was like a curtain call.  The audience applauded and a male dancer did the same, so again the audience applauded.  The dance continued and the audience stopped applauding.  People were confused and now decided it was not the curtain call as the dancers moved on from showing their hands.  This was probably the only down fall of the night as people looked at each other not knowing if this was the curtain calls or not.

The action did build until it was obvious the night was complete.  The magnificent dancers made two circles each swirling in opposite directions.  The lights faded to a wonderful night of dance.

The audience went wild and some people did stand though not like a pure eruptive standing ovation. Audience members now began to look to get permission to see if they too should stand.  No it was too late folks.  A true standing ovation is eruptive like the "Korean Drummers" back in an earlier Melbourne Festival.  I think they would have received a standing ovation had they finished with a stronger piece.

I wish Arts Centre Melbourne management would have their ushers stand like the security staff did at this performance as it certainly reduced the mobile phone usage during  the performance. The security staff were not off putting.  I welcome more of this.


Both my partner and I gave this 8.5/10.

Bronx Gothic, Arts House, Melbourne Festival, Sunday October 11th 2015

Bronx Gothic, Arts House, Melbourne Festival, Sunday October 11th 2015

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.

"Bronx Gothic" was originally produced by Performance Space 122 from New York and was presented at the Arts House in North Melbourne for the Melbourne Festival.

The first thing that hits you as you walk past the billowing white curtains entering the theatre is the heat.  It is oppressively hot.  The second thing that hits you is the stale and rancid stench.  The third is a woman, Okwui Okpokwasili dancing in the far corner of the stage with her back to the audience. We were allowed into the theatre at about 4.50 pm for the 5.00 pm performance.  A lady in the front row of three rows has to leave and get water.  I can barely breath.  Is this a part of the show?  If so, it is like "1984" with the smell-o-vision.  People were trying to get comfortable and at about 4.58pm the air conditioning sounded as if it had been turned on.  I wanted to vomit and fanned myself.

The performer Okwui Okpokwasili continued to dance with her back to the audience.  The corridor lights went down outside the white billowing curtains as the music changed slightly.  To me this was the beginning of the show as prior to this was context setting and a warm up.

Well Okwui Okpokwasili continued to dance until 5.15 and the music changed again.  The audience were getting tired of this.  I think we got the point!  The sound scape changed again slightly and this continued until 5.20 pm.  Yes I was clock watching as it was so uncomfortable.  She was so physically fit to be gyrating and pulsating for what was now half an hour.  She was wet and glowing with sweat.

Maybe this long prelude was to introduce us to the theme of the show.  Maybe the smell was a coincidence.  The dancing and sweat was like a combination of an African tribal dance, sexual ritual, a trance, self absorbed and a tantric orgasm.

Many audience members were intrigued with where this dance was going.  Some people were very uncomfortable with the length of this introduction.  In hindsight I think this would have been more powerful had it been for half the length of time.  Less is more.

Okwui Okpokwasili is a brilliant story teller and introduces us to her letters that she has rewritten from memory.  She reads from these letters and embellishes upon their contents.  The letters are discarded just like rape victims can be physically discarded.  The throwing away of these letters makes the story more poignant that no one will ever be able to erase horrific memories.

A rape dance sequence was repeated about three times where she assumed various poses of sexual exploitation: on all fours, rolling over, legs up etc.  This was more effective than the opening sequence as it was succinct and ultra specific in its choreographic intention.  Her facial expressions added to her body being exploited.

The set comprised of thirteen upturned lamps with their cellophane still on the lampshades.  The largest lamp had its cupid like stand broken in two.  Was this the object that she picked up and broke? It did not matter as the lamps were used to light the stage in varying intensities.

Some of the sections of "Bronx Gothic" reminded me of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf" that I saw in 1976 at The Comedy Theatre. I even have the script and the original cast recording. The difference was that Okwui Okpokwasili performed as a soloist using her rich voice and brilliant physicality to bring multiple characters to life.  The other difference was that I had tears rolling down my face with some of the stories in "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf"  while with "Bronx Gothic" I felt empathy but did not have as deep theatrical connection to the characters.

The limited humour heightened the drama by giving us some relief.  This intensifies the drama and our attention.  Various stories and memories unfold.  There was a large group of school girls in the audience and they reminded me that was about their age when I saw "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf".

Close to the end of the show, the middle aged woman in front of me just had to check her phone for messages during a poignant moment.  How rude of her.  I was hoping for a performance distraction free of "twanking" mobile phone addicts. Sadly not.

Overall "Bronx Gothic" was a challenging show for the wrong reasons due to the oppressive environment.

I gave this performance a 7/10. My partner gave it a 4/10.

32 Rue Vandenbranden, Peeping Tom, Melbourne Festival, The Sumner Theatre, Saturday October 10th 2015

32 Rue Vandenbranden, Peeping Tom, Melbourne Festival, The Sumner Theatre, Saturday October 10th 2015

"32 Rue Vandenbranden" by Peeping Tom was a major highlight so far for the 2015 Melbourne Festival at The Sumner Theatre.

I have seen this company perform at a previous Melbourne Festival and they certainly have a flair for physical theatre that pushes the boundaries.  The concept and co-direction of "32 Rue Vandenbranden" are by Gabriela Carrizo and Franck Chartier.  The six performers are credited with both the creation and performance.  Sets, costumes and lighting design supports this production.

We are introduced to a set with one large caravan opposite a duplex caravan in a snowy wilderness. The curtains of the caravans are opened as the windows are closed during a wind storm.  A baby shivers underneath the lone caravan. Above this caravan are two women, Maria Gyselbrecht's character is wearing an evening gown, stilettos and is pregnant; while Eurudike De Beul wears more sensible clothing for this unforgiving climate. Immediately these images provides us with the blur of reality and fantasy. This opening highlights the audience as the voyeurs on the internal and external worlds of these occupants.

We are introduced to the two new occupants who will share the other half of the duplex caravan. One man stands upon the lower back of his fellow traveller who happens to also carry large backpacks and three suitcases.  Their entrance is magical and memorable in theatrical terms.  They have a wonderful duo entering with their baggage.  It immediately allows the audience to laugh and enter into this crazy world.

The baby under the caravan was so tragic that it was funny. Sadly some audience members could not see this very funny moment of the adult head in a baby's bonnet attached to the body of a doll.  I began to wonder about the connection to the pregnant woman above.  Was this to be the baby she did not want?  Was she really pregnant?  Was it her wishful thinking to have the baby of one of her neighbours?  Was this baby her miscarriage?  Was this her abandoned baby?  All of these questions stirred me at the end of the show.

This production required the audience to consider the main focus of what was happening and to not ignore the other characters.  The subsidiary characters in each scene may have appeared not to be doing much,  when in fact they were slowly transitioning into the next scene.  Very clever in how these transitions occurred and you had to keep looking or you could miss their transitions.  One of the main devices was the use of looking at their neighbours, looking at each other or looking internally. Focus was central to the success of this work.

Another very funny transition was Maria Gyselbrecht's character who began by sipping on her bottle of water. She then began to spray water from her mouth on the internal windows and began washing the windows in creative ways using various parts of her body. Her cleaning counter-pointed the main serious action outside.

The duet by Carolina (Maria Carolina Vieria) and her partner Jos Baker was sublime.  She is so physically agile using her gymnastics training.  He used his strength and control in winding and unwinding both their bodies while Carolina maintained one position.  This was clever and exploratory and not boring as choreography of this type can become.

Jos Baker's solo of writhing his upper body and then alternating to his gyrating pelvis was brilliant.  His timing and pulsations were both emotionally exhilarating and draining to watch.  It was as if he were possessed.  There was the magic of theatre in that later his chest was wet, though not during this writhing sequence.  Later Jos Baker shows us his nimble sleight of hand and dexterity with his magical cigarette sequence.

Seoljin Kim's solo with his backpacks rolling around the snow covered ground trying to regain his balance was fun and good old vaudevillian slapstick.  Seoljin Kim would visit Maria Gyselbrecht in her caravan on a few occasions.  His longing and desire would result in a soul searching and deeply grieving solo where he removes his bleeding heart. Eventually his character dies of a broken heart.

Maria Gyselbrecht has a rendezvous with Jos Baker and the magic of the hidden door is used.  Again this sequence blurs reality versus fantasy.  Was her visit a memory, wish or a desire?  The hope and despair of each character is highlighted by their interaction with others and in their individual solos. Maria's aloneness is shown in her introspective moments in her caravan.

The masturbation solo by Hun-Mok Jung was ridiculous in the cold environment.  What made it funnier was the three tourists or by-passers.  They stopped and stared at his antics and showed us how we as the audience were reacting.  They mirrored our reality of the absurd situation.

Hun-Mok Jung also performed a karaoke sequence which was reminiscent of the Decore shower advertisement.  We see his character throughout via his smaller window.  He begins by singing into a real microphone and then progresses to use the shower head to sing.  Still singing into his shower head he goes outside to put out the garbage.  He encounters the other characters who are also putting out their garbage/ trash or rubbish.  It is a universal moment of being caught in public doing a very private behaviour.  Exposed, embarrassment and empathy: we have all been in a situation that has exposed our vulnerability and we are able to empathise with their situation.   Again this was the mirror of our lives on stage - with the blur of reality and fantasy.

The duet between Maria Carolina Vieria and Jos Baker was brilliant.  Their bending forward and backward was a forehead version of a Kiwi greeting that listed like the Titanic without sinking.  The performers did not show the effort required for such demanding choreography.  Their skills, strength and control created lightness and thus enhanced the humour.

Some sequences were repeated during "32 Rue Vandenbranden".  Those repeated by Maria Gyselbrecht reminded me of Natasha Herbert's tripping moment from Jenny Kemp's "Black Sequin Dress" performed at the Playbox Malthouse Theatre.  Here we are reminded of the blur between memory and reality, and private versus public memories.

The theme of baggage is shown in various ways by each character, emotionally or physically. We have the relationship baggage with the family abuse section.  This was incredibly well choreographed in that the shock waves had repercussions throughout the community.  Each of the characters felt the ripple effects of the blows inflicted by Jos Baker upon his female partner, Maria Carolina Vieria. This violence sequence had all the characters pulsating the abusive rhythms and exacerbated the ferocious brutality.  As these other characters observed the beating, they were helpless to render assistance as they too were caught up in the rhythms of the cycle of bureaucracy.  Do I get involved?  Is it really happening?

Great special effects were used throughout the show including an umbrella that turned inside out with the wind.  This umbrella appeared to rain upon itself.  We thought the water was stored in the handle of the umbrella.  A magical moment.

The wind and the garbage being blown across the stage at the start was simple and effective.  Later we see this garbage in the karaoke sequence.  The final wind sequence from within Maria's caravan was poignantly clever - as if it was her built up tension and explosion of emotion. This final wind was like her guilt of her miscarriage or the abandoned new born baby.

The confines of each caravan was challenging from a space perspective.  But the entrances and exits through the windows of the caravans was clever and varied.  The entrance of the bride through the curtains of Maria's caravan was hilarious.  The duet entrance into Carolina and Jos's caravan was athletic and gymnastic.  Their duet inside the caravan was dangerously exciting,  I am in awe of their trust and skill in such a confined space.

The singer Eurudike De Beul provides beautiful tunes to counter point some of the action.  Early on she washes herself in the caravan which is one of those transitions that many may have missed.  At one stage she stood on top of the couple's caravan holding two items as if she was the Statue of Liberty.  Both a ridiculous and fun image of her choice to do what she wants, when she wants.

There are so many other wonderful memories of the gun section and the impending fear within their environment.  The looking at beyond the audience searching for the fear.

The production finished as each caravan closed their curtains with stillness in contrast to the windy opening of curtains and closing of windows.  Each character is free to do what they want and will not be limited in this harsh environment.  Shut in but not shut out. Shut out but not shut in. Trapped within ourselves or free to express ourselves.  This production allows the characters the liberty to develop their own reality.

Programme notes:  It would have been beneficial to have the photos of the performers in the programme to enable the audience to put names to faces.

The finale was superbly choreographed with each performer maintaining their character.  Seoljin Kim's character had died, and Maria lifts his head up for audience acknowledgement during two curtain calls.  This was a graphic and compelling curtain call and sensational theatre as the performers maintained their characters.  The audience kept applauding, showing their appreciation for this superb show, as finally all performers stood out of character for the final curtain calls.

The cast "iced the cake" as they brought out a photo of the performer Maria Otal who died ten days before the premiere of "32 Rue Vandenbranden".  It was a fitting and generous tribute to their colleague to share with us, the audience.  Thank you!

As Hun-Mok Jung exited on the final curtain call he mimed the universal hand gesture of "call me" which related to his poster on the outside of his caravan.  A memorable exit and close to a great show.

"32 Rue Vandenbranden" is an example of what makes the Melbourne Festival my October destination each year.  Over thirty years there have been more misses than hits and this production has certainly provided a 2015 highlight.  It is gems like this show that make persistence worthwhile.

I gave this production 8/10 and my partner gave it an 8.5/10.

NYX, Antony Hamilton Projects, Melbourne Festival, Thursday October 8th 2015

NYX, Antony Hamilton Projects, Melbourne Festival, Thursday October 8th 2015

"NYX" choreographed by Antony Hamilton had its World Premiere at the Meat Market in North Melbourne.  "NYX" is presented by Melbourne Festival in association with The Dancing Architects and by Antony Hamilton Projects.

I have been to all thirty of the Melbourne Festivals which began as the Spoleto Festival of Three Worlds and morphed into MIFA Melbourne Internal Arts Festival) and is now just the Melbourne Festival.  Historically it was great to be able to see a huge journey of dance history when Alwin Nikolais Dance Company performed in 1986.  He was famous for his combination of light and costumes with dance.  Here tonight we saw a company provide a physical manifestation of percussion and dance.

We enter the theatre and the show begins ten minutes late.  Historically NOT ONE show in thirty years has begun on time.

There is a temple like structure lit centre stage.  We have no idea of how deep the staging area will become as it is black beyond.

Four dancers stand far upstage in black: silhouetted and all with flowing long hair.  Stillness for at least thirty seconds to get our attention.  Slowly the humming begins, and the moaning.  Gentle swaying reminiscent of Brian Friel's play "Dancing at Lughnasa"  He died recently and the finale of his beautiful play with the gentle swaying still makes my heart soar.  So to be reminded of this beautiful memory within five minutes was encouraging.

Though I found we had five minute blocks of choreography or percussive movement in each of the following sections.

The next five minute sequence was messing up the temple like structure.  It was interesting to see the sliding of ceramic and stone or pebbles into different directions.  (I admire the dedication of the production crew to recreate this temple before each performance.)  The rhythms created by the sliding of items was primitive and destructive.  Where was this heading?  Were they to going to rebuild a new civilisation?  They had my attention but I found the five minute segments a little predictable.

We had about five minutes of tapping rhythms using the ceramics, sticks and pebbles.  I call this the Banking Section as they banked their stash of pebbles/stones away.  The reaching forward by the four dancers, two by two was a little like Noah's Ark and filling the urns with the pebbles or stones.  This is where I admired the dancers' skills the most, as they had to reach forward to gather the stones and drop them into the large urns creating a pulsating rhythm.  They not only had to visually calculate where their stones were but they also had to be aware of the other dancer's supply of pebbles.  This was terrific team work and concentration.

Sadly we had a mobile phone interruption with the rude woman's light on her phone.  Later this was followed by the percussive hum and vibration of two other phones.  TURN THEM OFF!  Do not turn them to silent because they are not silent.

There was another group of eight dancers who dressed with half their faces covered.  They reminded me of the "Samurai" television show from the 1960s.  They slowly entered and reminded me of a section from "Flowers" by Lindsay Kemp.

The four dancers in black used their hair as an extension of their bodies.  Their hair twirled and flowed with their movements.  It was most effect when the four were bent forward upstage in silhouette and looked like horses galloping in the distance.  This was one of the strongest images and I longed for more of these moments.

A group of eight upstage were sitting and created a thirty count round of percussive movement and rhythm.  They gradually increased their speed and eventually we had a break-a-way group creating a counter rhythm.  It was like a canon with this second group gradually taking over the rhythm of the original theme.  Eventually all finished with this new sequence.  This was my favourite part of the work and reminded me of the subtle musical transitions of Philip Glass.  Congratulations to this group of eight as my heart soared with your synchronisation and timing.  Again this was one of the strongest moments and I longed for more.  It was my favourite section.

We had the obligatory contemporary dance rolling around sequence.  This resulted in one of the few funny moments of the production.  The four dancers in black finished in various poses with their hair as the centre piece.  Some had their hair in a foot or hands etc.  They then proceeded into a laughing sequence and then changed positions for a sobbing or a crying sequence.  I enjoyed the contrast of their positions and sounds.  Again a strong image and I longed for more of these moments.

The other quick laugh was when the four in black were on their knees as if in a tantrum chanting "Naughty girl".

Another section, I will call  The Robot or Machine Parade sequence was led by a dancer in black on an upside down flower pot.  She pushed this forward and the three behind followed in various guises.  They chanted and created rhythms and various sounds. The images were like a Year 11 drama exercise, though the use of percussion with their bodies was the saving grace.

The supporting eight dancers created a congo line type sequence with their farcical entrances and exits in either a line of eight or four.  The upstage shuffling group of four was in contrast to the eight downstage, as if they had travelled on a long journey.  A simple and effective image through a thin curtain.

The rest of the production blurred with more variations of rhythms, tapping with bodies and sticks and more chanting.

The final sequence was a burial type ritual and could have been from the Aztec, Inca or the ancient Egyptian cultures. It was the placing of the objects around the body of one of the dancers. This sequence concluded with the three remaining dancers crawling away respectfully allowing their colleague to rest in peace.

Each year some reviewers have their favourite word in their reviews.  We have had various reviewers throughout the years over-use their favourite word or phrase.  Some examples include visceral, surreal or the cavernous stage.   To me the word for this production is sonorous -  for the various sound qualities produced by the dancers, and for the sound of snoring which this production could have done had it gone on any longer.

Lighting by Benjamin Cisterne was effective in this large space.  I especially liked the use of sillouette and the upward lighting of the ceiling.

Costume design by Paula Levis was most effective for the eight dancers.  The black leotards were effective for the silhouettes.  The tights on two of the four dancers were ripped by the end of the performance.  Not hardy enough for good costume design for this choreography I am afraid!

I longed for more of theses memorable moments.  "NYX" is a promising work with physical manifestation of percussion and dance.

Overall my partner gave this a 4/10 and I was a bit more generous with a 6/10.

Friday Oct 9th 2015:

PS:  I had to laugh when I read The Age article today as I knew someone would use the term "cavernous spaces of the Meat Market" and they did!

John and Jen, Chapel Off Chapel, Saturday September 26th 2015

John and Jen,  Chapel Off Chapel, Saturday September 26th 2015

"John and Jen" the musical by Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald was presented by Pursued By Bear at Chapel Off Chapel.

This small scale musical is large on an emotional scale.

"John and Jen" was directed by Mark Taylor with Production Designs by Sarah Tulloch. The orchestra was led by the Musical Director Tyson Legg.

Musically the orchestra of Stephen McMahon on piano, Dave Greg on percussion and Sophie Anderson on cello were superb. They played with sensitivity to the varying themes for each song that progressed the story.  Gladly they did not smother the singers by playing too loudly.  They had a lovely balance which is so rare in some musicals.

The two actor/singers did an admirable job with the material.  Brenton Cosier played John and in Act Two added other characters, with Jaclyn Devincentis as Jen.  They both sang and acted well with the rare flat note.  This was totally forgiveable as it was a huge sing for two singers sometimes singing against some tricky accompaniment.  Yes there may have been a rare scoop onto a note and again this was forgiveable as I enjoyed their performances.  I have been less forgiving with others who do not engage with the audience with such warmth.

The music and lyrics can be a little too similar at times.  Their diction was clean and I could understand every word - unlike other musicals where I struggle to understand some lyrics.  They both have a lovely tone to their voices.  Brenton Cosier has a rich tone while Jacylyn Devincentis has a a very pleasant and appealing warmth to her voice.  It was terrific to hear when they both had to belt a section that they did not yell like some other singers.  Congratulations to both performers for this aspect of their singing as I have heard many singers yell and scream at this venue.

Emotionally the journey for both actor/singers is taxing.  It was especially rewarding to hear Jaclyn Devincetis's maturity of Jen as she aged and portrayed the mother role with sincerity.

Direction wise the space was too cramped.  This is a major problem in the Chapel Off Chapel theatre whereby the action is pushed forward so far downstage that the people in E Row and beyond struggle to see the downstage action.  They could either rid the front row and allow more room for the stage or push the front of the staging area back one metre.

There were problems with the set design with the door on stage right.  The actors had to be so careful not to bang into the main set piece on stage right for entrances and exits.  The same spacing issue made the argument at the end of Act One unconvincing due to the staging and space limitation.  The final moment of Act One was destroyed when poor Jen had to wriggle her way around the main "coffin" to exit through the door.  Sadly this exit destroyed her honest finale line.  Maybe a black out and sneaking out the back could have been considered an alternative end to Act One.

The main problem with the set design was the intrusive and dominance of the tree house like structure on stage left.  I liked the idea as it looked child like and as if it was a puppet on strings.  It also gave the image of a safe haven.  Though it could have been pushed up stage further to give the actors more room.  The show gave the audience a crick in the neck with most action either centre stage or stage right.

The best part of the stage design was the two trucks with doors to store props.  The funniest moment was during the "Talk Show" segment when doors revealed appropriate props.  It was as if we turned on the television and switched stations.   This was a one off joke that could have been repeated for added effect upon the reprisal of the scene.

Musically the score gets a little tedious due to the sameness of many of the songs.  I thought more lightness was required to give depth to the darker emotions.

My favourite parts were the orchestra and most of the singing.

I look forward to seeing these fine performers again in the future. Particularly for their ability to create an ageing journey for characters.

Programme notes:  I cannot understand why so many productions do not print the year of their production on their posters and programmes.  Take a look in the foyer at Chapel Off Chapel and see how many posters do not carry the year of production.  It is great to see those posters that do have a year in which it makes it historically more accessible.

I loved the beautiful photo of both performers used in the poster for "John and Jen" and was disappointed this image was not used in the programme.

When I purchase a programme I expect some basics.  These include the cast list, the production details and the background information on the writers,  Sadly there was no background information on the composer, lyricist and book writer.

I also expect a song list for a musical.  I understand that this might be a little old fashioned but hey do not charge me $5 for a programme that is just self congratulatory with spelling errors!   Yes education was misspelled as "Edcation".  No excuses for proof reading.

They also missed out on an opportunity to sell the cd of the show either at the theatre or via an advertisement.

Sleeping Beauty, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday September 16th 2015

Sleeping Beauty, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday September 16th 2015

The Australian Ballet's new production of "The Sleeping Beauty" is conceived by Artistic Director, David McAllister with Costume and Set Design by Gabriela Tylesova and Lighting Design by Jon Buswell.

I am usually not a fan of "The Sleeping Beauty" as in the past it has laboured on and on with audiences nodding off and lots of shuffling feet.  Previous productions have appeared either tired or just way too long.  I was surprised that a new production was so close on the heels of the 2005 production by Stanton Welch.

In the Weekend Australian Sharon Verghis interviewed David McAllister (Weekend Australian Review August 29-30 2015, pages 6-8).  She wrote about  "Welch's 2005  production was strong on ideas but fundamentally flawed aesthetically" and apparently Stanton Welch himself thought the costumes were weird when he saw it a second time.

The 2005 marketing blurb by The Australian Ballet was extolling the then new Stanton Welch version while in a recent interview with Amanda Dunn in The Age (Spectrum August 29 2015, pages 8-10)  reading between the lines David McAllister was not happy with the 2005 production.  In The Age interview David McAllister said "My aim is that once you sit down and the curtain goes up you won't be able to tell what is new and what's old".  He also said in the interview to The Age that he wanted "to get a production to be a bit more user-friendly to audiences, families and so on".   Congratulations to David as to some extent his vision does apply.

I was waiting to see for myself, because as a subscriber I thought "why not just fix up what you were not happy with Stanton Welch's production?"  David McAllister has succeeded with this redeeming production and turning my dislike of this ballet to fond regard and respect.

Costume and Set Design by Gabriela Tylesova is superb.  The set design with the bones or antlers protecting the wings reminds me of the model theatres that we would build as children using fruit boxes and the toys from the cereal packets.  It created a magical fairy tale quality with the hint of darkness.

Lighting Design by Jon Buswell illuminates the dancers, sets and costumes in majestic harmony.

The staging of dancers carrying on tables and the baby's crib was awkward.  I understand they do not use  mechanical trucks to wheel these set items as they may ruin the specialised dance floor.  (Is it Tarkett?)

Some children in the audience were falling asleep during Act Two as it was a school night and very late for most. Many of the children around us were nestling into their parents as they tried to stay awake for Act Three.  I do not blame The Australian Ballet if they bring this new production back within two years.  Also it would be admirable if they created a book to record the process of creating this new ballet and showcasing the beautiful designs for the sets and costumes.

David McAllister's notebook is full of his ideas.  I am surprised that the documenting of the choreography has not been recorded in Benesh Notation with the expertise of Mark Kay.  The purity of David McAllister's vision of intended moves and timing is more accurate using this type of recording rather than video or digital film which only records an interpretation of a performance.
It is so important to record the details of movement and intention in their pure form without politics of different interpretations. (Refer Benesh Notator, Michele Braban's specialised articles.)

Act One had a Black Prince who stole this act for me.  The four princes danced well but the Black Prince was sensational.   He was brilliant with his powerfully strong and assured presence and his crisp neat technique.  He was a prince to drool over for his masculinity and brilliant dancing.

Act One has Carabosse (Lynette Wills) present Princess Aurora (Amber Scott) with a spindle, and then accidentally pricks her finger and collapses into a deep sleep.  The Lilac Fairy (Valerie Tereshchenko) casts a spell over the kingdom and sadly about four of  the dancers fell on a musical cue rather than when directed by the Lilac Fairy's spell.  This error also occurred during Act Two when about four dancers (of the court) awakened on musical cue rather than when directed by the Lilac Fairy's breaking spell.

Act Two has a strange moment when Prince Desire (Ty King-Wall) does not see the Lilac Fairy each time she enters. This looks ridiculous and is the main part that needs some re-staging.  She is right in front of him and he pretends to not see her.  But then she is right in front of him again and he suddenly sees her.  It was corny and sillier than ever and had a disconnect with David McAllister's other visions for improving this ballet.   Cleaning this section up will create a more logical sighting of the Lilac Fairy by Prince Desire.

The other aspect that does not make sense is when Prince Desire is given a key.  As an audience we think the key is to open the large black gate in front of him, No!  The black gate flat flies out as we enter to see Sleeping Beauty in a casket.  He uses the key to open the casket.  (It is a fairy tale and logic does not always apply.)  In Act One there was more ostentatious miming for such smaller incidental actions compared to no miming by Prince Desire to open this huge black gate!

The ivory/bone coloured flats that bordered the proscenium arch were kept to frame Act Two.  When the black gate flew in these ivory/bone flats stood out so much that they looked out of place.  Maybe the lighting could subdue the focus on these to reduce the contrast as we are talking about a hundred year sleep here.

The sleeping chamber reminds me of the rose petals bed from the movie "American Beauty".

The story of the princes vying for Princess Aurora's affections in Act One reminds me that this story has been rehashed so many times.  The latest television versions of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" are poor cousins to this version of  "The Sleeping Beauty" ballet.

David McAllister's Act Three is the best I have ever seen.  The first time I saw "Aurora's Wedding" was in about 1967 at The Princess Theatre.  His version transported me to the magical wedding rather than wanting to flee the theatre from fatigue.

The third act was a major highlight visually and a reduction of audience fatigue.  Children were still falling asleep as it was a long night.   I am so grateful for the reduction in time.

During a large ensemble number with all of the dancers in rows. one male dancer in the front row wearing red shoes began another phrase of choreography and quickly recovered.  I am more in awe of the speed of recovery than the error.  Yes he may have possibly jumped forward in the choreography or started the choreography for another role.  Why you ask am I pointing this out?  Because this company is so good and dancing is a means of communication, and his partner's communication helped him recover from this hiccup.  Teamwork and trust work together are paramount.

Another couple barely had enough room to squeeze through during two line formations of one group moving downstage as the front row threaded back upstage.  Yes they banged into each and continued. No hysterical fits - they just got on with the job.  They cannot hold grudges as this could easily happen to anyone of the dancers.  It was only the second performance and confidence of spacing on the stage will improve.  Again I am more impressed with the resilience of this company and how the dancers just get on with the job.

Amber Scott is a sensational ballerina.  I found her left foot was being favoured a little during the first two acts.  If so, this is totally understandable as this is a huge role for any dancer let alone a ballerina of Amber Scott's quality.  By Act Three, Amber had overcome her tentative left foot, as her assurance returned thus demonstrating her supreme artistry.

I think her left foot may be aching due to the most magnificent pas de cheval en pointe sauté across on the diagonal.  I have seen other dancers perform a similar sequence before but not with Amber's lightness, grace and finesse.  Amber brushed her right foot with tenderness: caressing the floor while her left foot hopped along to create magic.

Ty King-Wall was brilliant as Prince Desire with his pure lines and solid technique.  His three double tour en l'air in a row were some of the cleanest and most majestic I have ever seen by a male dancer. He has a strong core and concluded each turn in a tight and clean fifth position without sticking his bum out at the end in his plie.  His arms were steel - strong, bold and regal, framing his body majestically.

Both Amber Scott and Ty King-Wall are ballet royalty.  Both dancers are for young dancers to aspire to, and for older people to relish in the fantasy they deliver.

The third act had the integration of the fairy tale characters at the masked ball.  These fairy tale characters were the friends in the woods from Act Two.  They arrived at the ball in fancy dress costumes.  This doubling up of the friends playing the fairy tale characters made sense for the first time ever in Act Three, rather than having the fairy tale characters just dancing party tricks.

The Bluebird pas de deux was good, though at times it looked like Brett Chynoweth's left foot was not fully stretched and this may have been an optical illusion due to the colour of the shoes. Or maybe an elastic broke as it seemed to flap a bit.   His batterie was robust.

Valerie Tereshenko was brilliant as The Lilac Fairy.  She has matured so much as an artist.

The various fairies danced well and I wanted more sharpness when required.

Act Two had the green nymphs protecting Princess Aurora from Prince Desire in various configurations.  At times this became corny when the protection was contrived and choreographed rather than really not allowing the Prince Desire access to Princess Aurora.  The configurations at times added more drama and we needed more of this.

John Truscott would have loved the ushers and bar staff wearing a pink flower in the lapel to add to the atmosphere of attending the ballet.  His vision for the Arts Centre Melbourne was that patrons should have an experience before, during and after a performance.

During the final curtain calls there was no Lynette Wills as Carabosse which was disappointing as the audience wanted to show her our appreciation.

Historical note:  This was the first time in three years that we did not have mobile phones or electronic devices beeping or flashing during the performance.  The Barbican Theatre also requests more specifically not to use flight mode or Silent but to completely switch off your phone.  I do long for the locating technology similar to what will be installed in the Barbican Theatre in London so the ushers can locate violators.

I have renewed faith in "The Sleeping Beauty"as a ballet after finally seeing a version that was beautifully danced, visually stunning and made sense.

Other observations:

My prediction is that Natasha Kusch will be promoted to Principal after her final performance in Sydney.  This will be a marketing coup for The Australian Ballet with the diversity of multi-cultures in the Principal ranks of the dancers..

The Australian Ballet should produce a book about the process of creating "The Sleeping Beauty" with lots of photos of rehearsals and designs.

20:21, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday September 2nd 2015

20:21, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday September 2nd 2015

The Australian Ballet have provided a superb night of dance with "20:21" showcasing three different choreographers.

"Symphony in Three Movements" by George Balanchine is a clever use of space, groupings and technique.  Music by Stravinsky screams for movement and ballet.

This ballet has a large ensemble of women who provide beautiful shapes that melt into a Mexican Wave of port de bras.  This would be more effective if some of the women held their core sufficiently to support the strong position of their arms to create the lyricism of the overall movement.

Another example was a young lady whose arms were flapping while most were held steadfast.  This became an issue when groups changed positions in opposite directions.  Due to her arms not being held created a slight collision as the dancer in the opposite direction was running headlong into the arms of this other dancer.  It is not a complaint but shows how difficult it is for 16 dancers to maintain port de bras positions, and to create seamless synchronisation.

I really enjoyed the ballet with its angular movements.  I must commend Natasha Kush who had intensely angular wrists that looked like Samson holding the pillars apart.  The final tick or kink in her foot when in attitude derrière detracts from her line and highlights the inconsistency with the other dancers.

The colour scheme for the costumes is flattering and provides the audience with an ease to watch the details of the choreography.

I look forward to this ballet being repeated in future seasons.

"Filligree and Shadow" is a new work by Resident Choreographer, Tim Harbour.  Set Design is by Kelvin Ho and mainly consists of a curved wall upstage which is striking.  There is not enough room for the dancer's entrances either side of this curved wall as the dancers appear to squeeze through the narrow gap.  This is particularly obvious with the broad shouldered men.

The Lighting Design by Benjamin Cisterne and highlights the shadows and and spotlights with dramatic effect.  While the lighting works, it feels discordant with the black costumes as you cannot see the choreography at times.  This is at its most frustrating when there is intricate moves in dark shadows upstage.  I wonder if a another colour costume with the shaded two tone tights would be more effective.

Choreographically there are some exciting phrases.  At other times there are two and three different phrases occurring and work when the lighting is conducive, but fail when in shadow as you cannot see properly.

Some of the partnering was confident and at times it appeared hesitant.  With more performances the dancer's confidence will grow - knowing that this is a great addition to the contemporary repertoire of the Australian Ballet.

The final work of the evening is one of my all-time favourite dance pieces, "In the Upper Room" to a score by Philip Glass.  What a wonderful celebration for Twyla Tharp who is celebrating her 50th year of creating dance.

I have been blessed to have seen this work five times prior to this viewing. Once by Twyla Tharp's company in Melbourne.

The Australian Ballet dance this ballet with zest, verve and gusto.  A last minute replacement with the the deletion of Chengwu Guo gave the performance a new edge.  For a replacement whether scheduled or not gives the audience food for thought:  Was it planned? Was Chengu injured?  Has the dancer worked with this cast before?  It created an adrenalin rush for me, and thank you for the excitement.

I do not care that there were a few slips and misjudged lifts as this is the pinnacle of aerobic dance. These dancers are masters of their craft and dance a near marathon.

The only thing that I did not witness was the funky looseness of Twyla Tharp.  I wanted a little more coolness or fun.  Though I do qualify this as they had a replacement dancer and no wonder they may have been a little on edge.

For this, my sixth viewing, I had tears in my eyes for the first time. I had tears of joy at the Bomb Squad who are the most perfect I have seen dance these roles.  Their purity of line and precise technique juxtaposed the funkier moves of the other dancers.  I think it was Ako Kondo and Miwako Kubota who excelled in these roles.  Thank you for my making my heart soar and my body have an out of body experience.  This has only occurred in about ten performances in 50 years of viewing theatre.

The Stompers who begin and create an atmosphere of anticipation with their playfulness, mirroring and retrogrades.  They also conclude the dance work with the same playfulness, mirroring and retrogrades.

Each viewing provides an opportunity to see new aspects of the piece.  I love Twyla Tharp's homage to so many genres of her training, including cheer leading and tap dancing.  I particularly love the "shuffles" and for the first time the tap "wings" stood out with accurate execution.

The final movement appears to be the whole ballet in fast forward.  It is as if we have the fast Forward Button and are controlling what we are viewing.  NO WITNESSING!  It is unforgettable perfection.

I am in awe of the dancers counting this complex music with its repetitive phrases.

I yearn for Triple Bills of this quality.  David McAllister has excelled with this superb Triple Bill that always provides more "dance" for your dollar!

Please bring back "Billy the Kid" by Aaron Copeland performed at the Palais Theatre in the late 1970s.

Overall 8.5/10