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

Cinderella, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 24th 2015

Cinderella, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 24th 2015

We saw this new version of "Cinderella" by Alexei Ratmansky in 2013 and it is good to see it again while our memories are clear.

We were meant to have the following A cast for "Cinderella" according to the Australian Ballet website:

Wednesday 24 June, 7.30pm
Conductor: Nicolette Fraillon
Cinderella: Madeline Eastoe
Prince: Kevin Jackson

Our cast was  instead:

Cinderella: Ako Kondo
Prince: Chengwu Guo

It was great to see this B Cast as they are a couple in their personal life as well.  This new couple are a dream for marketing purposes, as was previous couples within the Australian Ballet..  Both are usually sensational dancers of the highest calibre.

This second viewing within two years of the original in 2013 brings some positive and negative reactions.

The comedy was not up to the standard of my first viewing.  The timing was not as precise along with more defined characterisations of some characters.  It felt as if some of the characters were not projecting past the front rows of the stalls.

The least enjoyable aspect was the two women (mid to late 30s) sitting in front with their three children.  One would imagine that the children would be the issue.  Wrong.  Can you imagine one woman had the gaul to take out her mobile phone and continue to show her friend photos during the performance.  Yes it is true.  I leant forward and asked her "Please turn your phone off as it is very distracting."  How they huffed and puffed for the rest of Act One was so distracting.  I tried to watch the planets section of the ballet and they continued to chat amongst themselves.

At the first interval, I reported their inappropriate behaviour  to our local usher and then proceeded to report this to the Front of House Manager.  Both of the Arts Centre staff were very helpful.  By the time I returned to my seat my colleague said that the usher had spoken to them.

The two women were trying to send me up with their body language by mimicking texting and their over the shoulder glares at me.  It was a relief that they were vocally quiet for the remainder of the ballet after first interval.

They did not turn on their phones for Act Two.  During the second interval she had the audacity to theatrically show her lurid photos making sure that we got to see herself wearing a thong and sitting with her back on an exercise ball.  Obviously she was proud to show off these revealing shots for all of the men and women to see.  I am curious if these women received complimentary tickets courtesy of the main sponsor of the Australian Ballet.

The staff of the sponsors of the Australian Ballet have a responsibility to represent their company in the best possible light.  They should be role models and turn off their phones and not put their feet up on the seats etc.

I have advised the Australian Ballet of my concerns as the sponsors are certainly jeopardising their value for money if their staff behave in a inappropriate manner.  These sponsor seats are sometimes relished and honoured as a treat to the staff.  Other times the staff attend with utter disdain.

Is it a coincidence that we had another fall on stage during another mobile phone incident?

The costume designs by Jerome Kaplan are beautiful allowing the audience to view the line of the dancer's body with the flow of the fabric.  Sometimes costumes do not do justice to the expense of the fabrics as the audience may not see the detailed textures of the fabrics.  Here the fabrics chosen have different weights and textures which come across to the audience to highlight the different characters.  I particularly like the ball room suits with their metallic fabrics.

Set designs, also by Jerome Kaplan blend and balance his beautiful costumes.  I really love the backstage atmosphere of the theatre in the opening scene which is reminiscent of backstage shows like "Gypsy."  His designs for the ballroom scene are exquisite and reminds me of the grandeur of Cranko's "Romeo and Juliet."

While I recall the ballroom scene the choreography of the latest dance moves section, reminds me of a combination of John Cranko's "Romeo and Juliet" with Pina Bausch's "1980" conga line.  Pina Bausch uses lots of gestures in conga lines as in the film "Pina" - where they gesture the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter.  You may wonder how they are similar.  Alexei Ratmansky has a cheeky fun, contemporary, cliquey style to the ballroom scene.  Alexei Ratmansky's cliquey style juxtaposes the dance styles of Cinderella's Stepsisters and Stepmother.  This section is so clever on a second viewing and is a ballet version of synchronised group dances like the Macarena, Time-warp and boot-scooting.

Cinderella's Stepsisters and Stepmother perform their embarrassing solos and the other guests politely applaud with occluded jaws and tight smiles,  The choreography is not only the dance steps, it is also requires these fine dancers to work their costumes to humorous effect.   Skinny Stepsister (Ingrid Gow),  Dumpy Stepsister (Eloise Fryer) work well together with Cinderella's Stepmother danced by Valerie Tereshchenko.  Some of the the timing of the comedic sequences was not as slick as in 2013 resulting in the original jokes were not as funny.

The Prince takes Cinderella out onto the terrace.  The set and lighting design is superb with the rolling away of the pillars to reveal the terrace and the full moon rising.  The hedges roll in as if the trees from Disney on Parade's "Alice in Wonderland" or as if the haunted forest from Disney on Parade's "Snow White" section.  The hedges become the ticking clocks for the imminent approach of midnight is such a lovely surprise.  The moon becomes the clock chiming midnight.  Such a magnificent tribute to the artistry of Salvador Dali.

The pas de deux by the Prince and Cinderella was magnificent.  Ako Kondo is such a superbly beautiful technician.  More so, she is an artist of the highest calibre and it was such an honour to witness her in this seminal role.  She nailed it particularly in this pas de deux.  While Chengwu Guo is usually at the top of his game, here he had a few moments where his lifts were not so self assured.  This is not a criticism as he is normally so perfect, it was wonderful to see this genius show some human frailty or struggles.  They were not major issues for us as an audience, more of a surprise as he is such a perfectionist and one of the greatest male dancers I have ever seen dancing live.  I am sure with more performances he will find the ease and timing of some of the lifts.

Overall the timing of the comedy was not as slick as when I saw the original staging in 2013.  One of the few moments that was as funny was the hairdressers sequence at the start of Act One. This scene is a combination of the choreography, costumes and wig/props.  The artistry of the performers is crucial in projecting their characterisations to the back of the theatre and maintain good technique.    As the hairdressers Calvin Hannaford, Shaun Andrews and Luke Marchant admirably accomplished all of these requirements to create a funny scene with the lead female characters.

The Stepsisters and Stepmother are fun and not as nasty as in other film or stage versions.  They represent a selfish group of people, yet we can see through their transparent behaviour and they are endearing in their hedonism.

The role of the Fairy Godmother danced by Lynette Wills seemed to be cut down from the original staging of 2013.  Other people I spoke to had the same recollection.  Though Lynette Wills danced the role well, it seemed as if there were missing moments -particularly in the interaction with Cinderella.  If the role was not cut down, then the impact of the Fairy Godmother was not as theatrically memorable.

The tribute to Salvadore Dali is highlighted with the surrealist designs of the moon turning into the midnight clock and topiary trees that became timepieces.  The use of the planets instead of the mice and coach is also another astrological tribute to Salvadore Dali's surrealism.

I was very keen to view the segue to the start of the planets sequence to see if it worked.  Sadly our rude ladies in front pulled out their mobile phone to check their social media.  Just these few seconds interrupted my viewing experience.  So I look forward to seeing "Cinderella" again in the future.

I would like to see the souvenir programme include the year on page three of each edition.  It does state the Melbourne dates without the year 2015.  For collectors of the ballet programmes, the Artistic Director's introduction does not even mention the year.  I love the photos of the planets in the programme and would love each costume to have a single photograph in future productions and programmes.

My favourite part of this performance of "Cinderella" was Ako Kondo who was framed by the ever reliable Chengwu Guo.  I look forward to their partnership in future productions.

The Dream, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 10th 2015

The Dream, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 10th 2015

The Australian Ballet presented a triple bill of works by Sir Frederick Ashton.  Two were more successful than the third.

"Monotones" was my favourite work of the evening.  We were entertained by what I think was the B Cast.  Amanda McGuigan is so supple and this flexibility is a pre-requisite for the choreography as she was dragged, spun and postured into extreme positions.  Some of these positions were en pointe and Amanda McGuigan held these definite positions with strength, grace and dignity.  The men were like the frame to her pictures.  They too became the picture with such masculine poise and assurance.

"Monotones" reminded me of the Ruth St Dennis musical visualisations, as the choreography sang from the first movements with the musical score by Erik Satie.

Occasionally there was a dent in their lines as the wrists were not consistent in their requisite angularity or softness.  One of the males had a wider fifth en haut position and it jarred from the other two.  Congratulations to the cast also comprising Brodie James and Richard House.

I have seen the second ballet "Symphonic Variations" both on film and by another company many years ago.    "Symphonic Variations"  was the least satisfying work of the evening for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it was most of the dancers first night performance as an entire cast together.  They were either the E or F cast (depending on how you read the cast lists on the Australian Ballet website.)  Secondly, the clarity of the choreography at times seemed very vague, particularly the sharp changes of direction.  At times, it was quite messy to say the least.  Thirdly, the footwork was sloppy and ill-defined at times.  I appreciate that the footwork is tricky but it looked very under-rehearsed at times.  I wanted crispness and definition and confidence at all times.

It was great to see Christiano Martino sporting his hairy chest rather than the fashion of shaved chests.  He was a terrific partner and will make a great Spartacus in the future due to his robust masculinity, strength and assurance.

The most obvious and glaring moment was the devellope to arabesque by Natasha Kusch with a sloppy foot that finished with the pointed foot on the extension.  But then there is more!  Not the steak knives!  No, the kink of the foot (the cheating sickle) to give the impression of the longer line.  I would have preferred a cleaner devellope with a pointed foot all of the way rather than the added punctuation mark!  This jarred and emphasised that her style looked of place to the other dancers. Sir Frederick Ashton has a particular lyrical style that all dancers need to comply with.

Musically the timing of the port de bras varied between the dancers.  Some were on the beat, others slightly behind and one lagged behind the other dancers with their port de bras.  This was not a canon!  It was more like a stutter as the timing looked wrong.

I have seen these dancers in better form and know that they will all become cleaner with their execution.  One not so good performance does not make you a bad dancer!  You are all exceptional dancers and I would be remiss if I did not call it honestly as I saw it. It just looked under rehearsed.

Oh yes and who can forget our regular TWANKERS in the Stalls with their mobile phones?    Bored darlings?  Why bother coming to the ballet to show everyone your photos during the performance?  The lighting cue change is for the lighting technicians not for the our resident TWANKER! The light flashes and distracts us in the Dress Circle.  But sorry ladies it is all about you in D Row in the stalls.   I reported this to the Dress Circle usher and sadly this D Row Stalls violator continued during "The Dream."

I have been fortunate to see "The Dream" many times over the years both on film and live.  There were some great performances and a few wonderful surprises.

The first surprise is the cover of the programme.  Where was this costume in the production?  Neither my partner, myself or our regular neighbours recognised this advertising logo for the ballet.    There was a paler green costume worn by Oberon but nothing like this photo.  It seems a little deceptive.  Oh but they call it marketing!

We were entertained by the B Cast.  Lana Jones was exquisite as Titania and was ably supported by the coryphee,  Jared Wright.  What a terrific partnership and we are so honoured to see this young man develop and support such a sublime Lana Jones.

The fool proof role is Puck which is a fun role but requires superb technique to master some of the complex jumps.  Brett Chynowyth danced superbly as Puck with his spiritedly cheekiness and well defined characterisation.  Brett's ronde de jambe en 'lair saute were clean, crisp and bouncy. Brett has a tennis ball accuracy to his ballon.  His batterie was clean, sharp and accurate.

I have seen a young man develop over the years.  In his early days in the corps de ballet Jacob Sofer had a stiffness.  Now, Jacob Sofer commands the stage as if he owns it.  His body stiffness went years ago and he now dances with pure confidence and assurance.    A joy to watch particularly with his comedic timing.

The first couple Lysander (Rudy Hawkes) and Hernia (Dimtry Azoury) were terrific.  Alongside the unhappy Helena (Natasha Kusen) and Demetrius (Jacob Sofer) provided some of the funniest moments of the night.  These four dancers worked together to create such wonderful memories with their comedic timing and beautiful character dancing.   These fine dancers had the audience in the palm of their hands.

I have seen Bottom danced well before.  Christopher Rogers-Wilson did not dance Bottom well.  He danced the best Bottom I have ever seen with his distinctive characterisation.  Christopher Rogers-Wilson became the donkey and the pointe shoes made more sense as they became his hooves,  rather than the awkwardness of the bravado of another trick.  His dancing was pure masculinity without the campiness of "Les Ballets Trockedero."

At 8.45pm our lady in the stalls had to check her mobile phone and write a message or a note.  The lights flashed as she held up her phone.  Yes it was distracting and she was obviously bored by the two short solos.  One of the dancers in the corps de ballet had a fall around this time.  I hope that this young dancer is okay and she was brave enough to get back on her feet and continue to dance.

Unlike our D Row TWANKER who distracts the stalls and the Dress Circle.  I wish this TWANKER had the discipline, let alone the courage and bravery of the young dancer who fell,   Please just switch off your mobile phone for the whole performance.  You are such a rude person to annoy those around you.

My heart goes out to this brave young dancer who fell.  You enriched the performance with your determination to be a team player and continue.  I hope that you did not hurt yourself.  I also wonder if the selfish checking of the mobile phone in D Row stalls (our resident TWANKER) distracted any dancers.  It is high time that the Australian Ballet and the Arts Centre Melbourne were more vigilant in ensuring that the public turn off their mobile phones and iPADs etc.  This can be dangerous as that sudden flash of light can catch a dancer's eye as they are spotting to make a turn etc.

I am an advocate for appropriate use of mobile phone in appropriate settings.  I am against inappropriate use, as I am concerned about for respect for others.

The Australian Ballet was not at their best with this programme.

'Monotones" 7/10
"Symphonic Variations" 5.5/10
"The Dream" 6.5/10

Frame of Mind, Sydney Dance Company, Sumner Theatre, Thursday May 14th 2015

Frame of Mind, Sydney Dance Company, Sumner Theatre, Thursday May 14th 2015

It was such a pleasure to see Sydney Dance Company perform in Melbourne again.  the Sumner Theatre is such a beautiful theatre for dance - that it reminds me of the Joyce Theatre in New York City that is dedicated to dance.

The programme consisted of two pieces, "Quintette" by William Forsyth followed by "Frame of Mind" by Rafael Bonachela.


"Quintette" by William Forsyth is such a magnificent piece of choreography that screams of passion tenderness and love.  The score is a loop of singing with orchestration that is haunting and deeply moving.  The words sung sound more like "Jesus never found me" compared to "Jesus' blood never failed me yet."  Either way the message was so rich in depth of compassion and reaching out.

The five dancers began in various poses across the stage.  A phrase set the tone and was repeated throughout the 26 minutes and was featured either by a different soloist, duets, trios or a quartet; but never by the quintet.  It was if they were dancing to try to reach nirvana.

The combinations of lifts within the various formations were complex and appropriate.  The trust  between the dancers required rigorous timing, skill and support.  Not only the physical support but the emotional support, as relationships require a good network to grow.  Yes, strength is also required but to appear effortless was mesmerising.  The lifts did not look like tricks and show-biz bravado, rather they fluidly swept the viewer with waves of memories and love. 

The score could have been monotonous but was so hypnotic that it reminded me of Pina Bausch's "1980" performed at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda.  It too could have been repetitious and boring but instead captured the essence of memory and emotion.

At times I felt like a voyeur and was trespassing on hollowed territory.  This heightened my intense connection to the emotion of the piece.  It was as if I was watching angels protecting each other.

The tones of the costumes were muted.  When the red and blue danced together it suggested a summery buoyancy, while the yellow and green duet had an autumnal feel.  The black costume accentuated the statuesque Sam Young-Wright as if he was the arc angel.

These five masterful dancers performed so beautifully with their pure technique and artistry.  They danced some technically difficult phrases and lifts connecting the depth of emotion to the choreography. 

The final image was repeated where Chloe Leong threw herself and was caught upstage right by a male dancer.  It was as if she was swept up in the arms of an angel and transported to heaven.  Pure emotional magic.  The quintet of dancers certainly took us to nirvana.

"Quintette" is a magnificent work of poignancy and deeply moving.

Thankfully we had an interval to savour the opening work.

"Frame of Mind" by Rafael Bonachela  comprised of two walls creating a corner with a vertical window frame and window sill.    This set by Ralph Myers reminded me of the classic Scottish ballet "La Sylphide."   I kept expecting someone or something to come through the window.  This was not to be, other than the different perspectives of dance to be offered.

My interpretation of "Frame of Mind" is the different perspectives we have of a situation.  We may be in the same place at the same time and see things from a different viewpoint.  There is no way we can 100% see something from someone else's perspective.  This is where the design of the corner is so crucial as we may not be able to see around corners. 

Nor did the light through the window shine on either wall.  This was evident when the file of dancers kept close to the back wall.  It was if they were creeping in to avoid the light exposing their entrance.    These dancers then hit a character pose that reminded me of "A Chorus Line"" and the 17 signature poses/personalities.

Three sections had all but one of the cast dancing in synchronicity. I must say these ensemble sections were danced so together in their measured sameness it was breathtaking.  You may think I am going overboard but it is easier in classical ballet to hit "positions" or "steps" as some call them.  In contemporary or modern ballet/dance the vocabulary is not as pure as classical ballet.  I think it is so much harder to be in sync in this style of dance with such complex textures, qualities and intensities.

I am also in awe as to the different body sizes that had to match the choreography.  The taller men for example were in keeping with the petite female dancers.  The extra space for these taller dancers to move their limbs to navigate during these synchronised sections was beautiful. The breadth of the wider port de bras for the taller dancer was matched with such precise qualities as all of the other dancers. The sautes and turns and off balance moves matched each other.  No dancer upstaged another with their showmanship.  They danced as a unit.  I repeat - I am in awe as an ensemble as I have seen dance companies for nearly fifty years and adored your ensemble work.

So my heartiest congratulations to the dancers for such magnificent realisation of Rafael Bonachela's vision.

A solo by David Mack reminded me of the famous Nijinsky "A l'apres-midi d'un faune."  It reminded me of Feldenkrais style body outlining exercise combined with an erotic body discovery exercise from a couples workshop.  His body twitching and writhing was sexually provocative.

There were repeated phrases throughout this 34 minute work and was not boring to watch.  This duration was the perfect time.  Structurally this work felt resolved with the finale male solo.

The final male solo was blinded by the light through the window.  At the end he seeks the light.  It is as if we recognise what we do not originally see.  We see things through a different light! (Boom boom!)

The very informative programme was available free of charge.  This was one of the better programmes available at the theatre.  I would have liked a paragraph or two for each dancer's biographies.  At least include a reference link to refer readers to the dancers' biographies.  I went online later to the SDC website and read the comprehensive biographies.  As Sydney Dance Company is government subsidised they have a financial responsibility to sell these programmes for at least $5 or $10.

 "Frame of Mind" by Rafael Bonachela completed the programme.  As Anne Wooliams told us an 90 minute programme of quality is better, as audiences cannot cope with more than two hours of dance.  And these two works are proof of her quote.  This was a brilliant dance programme.

Dirty Dancing, Princess Theatre, Thursday April 16th 2015

Dirty Dancing, Princess Theatre, Thursday April 16th 2015

This is the return season of "Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage" the musical after ten years at the Princess Theatre.

For those new to my blog, I do not retell the story and I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  If you want further information I provide various links.  I try to find different and appropriate links that I feel are relevant to give you further information.

"Dirty Dancing" the musical is based on the movie of the same name. 

Buying tickets was easy and the Ticketmaster service was good.

Arriving at the Princess Theatre the staff greeted you with courtesy when buying a programme or cloaking my coat.

"Dirty Dancing" is a fool proof musical theatre as they have a captured audience of devotees of the movie.  I remember very clearly the excitement of the women and girls in the audience in Melbourne 2005.  In 2015 the pre-show excitement or anticipation was dissipated by the use of mobile phones, iPADS, tablets and other gadgets.  So many TWANKERS were not talking to their family or friends, but fidgeting with their devices!

I am saddened that my original 2004/2005 programme with all of my cuttings from newspapers and magazines was lent to someone, who gave it away by accident.  Hence, I cannot compare my notes and can only do so from my memories.

I must say that I preferred the original production of 2004/2005 for a number of reasons.  One is the excitement of seeing a new show and the anticipation that goes with that.  It is not necessarily fair to compare performers or performances but to make observations.  It looked as if there were about two or four less people in this production than during some of the ensemble numbers in the 2004/2005 production.

An original cast recording was made of the original Australian cast in 2004/2005.  There are 33 credited "Live track" members on this recording compared to 26 cast members in the 2015 programme.  Admittedly, they do sometimes pad out recordings with session singers but usually they are given separate credits.  I feel my recollection of a larger cast size in 2004/2005 is accurate and worked better.

I am still in awe of the staging with the revolve and the mechanics to slide forward the largest set piece.  This suddenly struck me that the Gail Edwards' version of "Aspects of Love" had such an impact or influence on the central set design. With the combination of the revolve and the louvered screens this paid homage to Roger Kirk's set design of the revolve and the flowing curtains in "Aspects of Love."

The director, James Powell has used the short filmic scenes which require quick changes of locations. Various staging devices are used to some degree of success.  There are four short scenes, including the opening scene that do not work if you are sitting outside the boundaries of the proscenium arch.  We sat in Dress Circle A30 and 31 and you could not see the opening upstage left action due to the speakers.  Nor could you fully see the two  "fridge scenes" properly.  Plus you could barely see the red head come on for a revealing "caught" moment.  Heaven forbid if the people further to my right would not have seen any of this, nor would the audience members on the extreme left of the theatre.  I had to lean to my left at times to try to see what was happening.

A simple solution is for the director to check sight lines from various major locations in the venue.  Two, bring in the action from the wings one metre and presto you have a more visible solution.  Or the least favourable option is to reduce the ticket prices for these restricted views.  You should only charge full price if you can see all of the stage all of the time!

There are a few scenes that end with a dead spot rather than transitioning smoothly into the next scene.  These could be overcome by a simple lighting change to shift the focus of the audience.

The set design by Stephen Brimson Lewis is clever and simple, particularly the use of the revolve and the louvered screens to reveal both the action and the orchestra.  The video and production design by Jon Driscoll supported the set design by creating wonderful iconic images from the movie.  These images transported us immediately to the location.  Greatly effective.

The costume designs by Jennifer Irwin create a 1963 feel. 

Visually the creative team do their job to create a "magic moment" for their audience.

Choreography by Michele Lynch was too modern for my liking.  It had Pilates-exercise in-jokes and other tricks that were not in keeping with the period of 1963.  The showy gymnastic flips look out of place.  I much preferred the original choreography by Kate Champion.

Some of the choreography also paid homage to "Strictly Ballroom." The slides heightened my disappointment that they were not used as effectively in "Strictly Ballroom" the musical.  So congratulations for incorporating these slides for excitement and dramatic impact.

The execution of the choreography was mainly performed with gusto.  A few dancers looked like they were marking their moves as they did not have full extensions or the definition required of some moves.  Maybe there were a few swings replacing regular cast members and I observed some wrong footwork.  I will not know as I could not see a cast change board, nor replacements announced. (Note that these observations were not during the dance lesson scenes.)

There are a few awkward changes between scenes with some dead spots that could do with a lighting change to segue to the next scene.  Lighting by Tim Mitchell was effective though there are a few opportunities to improve the flow.

Sound design by Bobby Aitken was balanced but a little too loud on occasions.  The band played well as lead by David Skelton.

Singing wise there is not much to sing about. It is your classic juke box musical with lots of songs or parts of songs to recall.  The harmonies were good.  The lead singer Mark Vincent as Billy Kostecki was my saving grace with his rich voice and his soaring falsetto notes.  I apologise to the female singer who sang the duet "The Time of Our Lives" as I cannot find her credited in the programme.  (I know it is old fashioned to list the characters who sing various songs but it would help to congratulate her!)

"Dirty Dancing" is not your usual musical where the leads do not sing.   Kirby Burgess did a fine interpretation as Frances "Baby" Houseman.  I particularly like her transformation from the mousey ugly duckling to the assertive and strong swan.

I found it more confusing this time with the dancing version of Frances "Baby" Houseman as it did not resonate with me as coherently as in the original 2004/2005 production.

Kurt Phelan as Johnny Castle did an adequate job dancing this role, while his acting was more memorable than the original production.  You need a reliable partnership to reproduce this iconic presage lift eight shows a week.  Plus you need a performer who will captivate the audience with the requisite anticipation for recreating this essential moment from the film.   Kurt Phelan performed the famous presage lift with trust, assurance and aplomb. 

Mr Schumacher needs to be memorable for the storyline.  Barry Mitchell played this small but pivotal role in a charismatic and engaging way, with the requisite suspicious twist.

Teagan Wouters played Francis "Baby" Houseman's sister, Lisa Houseman with genuine rapport to both the audience and the actors she played opposite.

Adam Murphy as the father, Dr Jake Houseman had a quiet composure and I particularly liked his relationships to his daughters, wife, Johnny and Penny Johnson.

Penny Johnson played by Maddie Peat showcased her Radio City Rockette shapely legs.  She is a fine dancer but it worried me that her back bends would snap.  There is a difference between control and showmanship and danger. Choreographic demands are tested on her every move, to be spectacular for eight shows a week.  With your natural flexibility, please ensure you support your core to the fullest - I am not saying you did not, but I want to see your superb dancing for many years to come!

The final entrance of Johnny was not as spectacular as in 2004/2005 with him coming from the back of the stalls.  I can understand why they changed this final entrance to the left side of the audience for more people to see.  But that thrill of looking around and seeing him running down the aisle was lost.  The females (and some men) were panting in anticipation during the Melbourne 2005 performance.  Here the audience cheered but not like watching all the heads turn and the Dress Circle and Upper Circle craning their heads to see his elongated arrival.  The 2004/2005 final entrance had the audience more vocally appreciative.  The inappropriate behaviour of the middle-aged woman in Stalls C12 (approximate seat) took away the thrill of this moment.

The audience around this rude Stalls C12 woman had the front two rows of the Dress Circle watching her TWANKING antics with her phone or iPAD or tablet.  It was so distracting that I pity those sitting next to, or behind her.  Holding up her device so high caught our attention with the lights that we missed moments on stage.  Thankfully the two ushers used their torches to ask her to stop her rude and distracting behaviour.  This inconsiderate woman should apologise to the audience and to the performers for trying to photograph their "copy write" protected work.

I was so pleased that I later learned the ushers managed to get this rude woman to delete the photographs.  So my heartiest congratulations to the ushers for their dedication to respect all theatre goers.

I long for the day when it is illegal to use phones or cameras in the theatres as it is illegal in New York (even though they still get used there too.)  It is about mutual respect for all audience members.  Some people save for months to see a show and it is not fair to destroy other audience member's nights.

Overall I gave this production a 6/10.

Giselle, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Saturday March 14th 2015

Giselle, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Saturday March 14th 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.

MMMMM I have some great feedback about "Giselle" and some not so good.   I have seen "Giselle" about ten or twelve times by the Australian Ballet and other companies from around the world and so I am not going to be a sycophant and say I loved it to be popular.

The pre-show announcement has been changed finally to "turn phones off" instead of "turn to silent."  Yeah!  This was a relief as this was the first time in least five years that we did not have to contend with either the flashing, buzzing, ringing or vibration of mobile phones during the performance.  Nor did we have to contend with the "Twanking" of iPADS or other such Tablets.  I do not pay big money to be distracted by other rude patrons scratching their itch for "fear of missing out" on their latest social media update!  So I sincerely congratulate this audience for not being rude like the usual Wednesday night crowd can be. 

As we had to change our tickets from the Wednesday having no distractions was a huge bonus, though the location of our new seats reveal a different angle to the story.

We were fortunate enough to see the debuts in principal roles of both Amber Scott dancing Giselle and Ty King-Wall as her Count Albrecht.  These superb technicians are beautiful artists who excel at their craft.  The little slip in Act Two made no difference as this couple had the audience mesmerised.

Amber Scott's lines and musicality were superb.  My main beef was the second half of her batterie sequence was so a'terre she could barely stretch her feet to be off the ground, let alone perform clean petit batterie.  While Ty King-Wall's batterie was clean, sharp and precise.

Amber dancing the famous mad scene was sensational.  She was possessed and convincingly mad rather than in some versions that are ridiculous and over the top in their histrionics.

Hilarion danced by Jarryd Madden portrayed a strong masculine character that created more tension with Giselle and Albrecht than I have seen in other versions of this ballet.  There was a great rapport and build up of conflict between these three lead characters.

Wilfred danced by Frank Leo needed more definition and strength in commanding his presence.

I was very disappointed in the usually superb dancing of Dimity Azoury.  Her dancing was fine but how she was directed as the Queen of the Wilis made her look like a Les Ballet Trokadero dancer rather than her usual beautiful self.  I have seen many dancers dance this role and it can be strong but not camp, stiff and hammy.  You can still be feminine, graceful and have strength and leadership.  Please note that I emphasise she is an exquisite and feminine dancer and I did not like the way she has been directed.  The role may not suit her.

Our new seats in Dress Circle A3-4 revealed many things that we normally do not see from our usual central seats.  The view from these seats heightened the cheating of technique in arabesques, fouettes and not being square in the hips.

During the Act One Peasant pas de deux danced beautifully by Miwako Kubota and supported by Brett Chynoweth.  He had some sloppy lines during this pas de deux and his arabesques were more to the side of his body than derriere (let me say more between a'la second and derriere.  More like a 4 O'clock if an arabesque is 6 O'clock)

Act Two had the Willis in beautiful line formations.  Though in one line formation, from our seats we could see 3/8 of one line of the Willis on stage right.  Hence - how can they charge $120 for such a restricted view.  We did not get a refund from our Premium Priced seats!  This is double dipping by the Australian Ballet as they will ask others to pay the difference to change to our Premium seats.

While talking about the view from these seats we could just see the grave.  Heaven forbid the people in seats A1-2 not only in our row but in other rows.  They should only charge full price if you can see the entire stage and the entire set!  This means any seat outside the proscenium arch or curtain line should not be an A Reserve ticket price!  These seats were more of a C Reserve ticket price for quality.

Congratulations on the line of the wrists for the corps of Wilis that were consistent and not flopping or flapping.  This cast were fresh from rehearsals and maintained a pure Romantic period shape.   This is unlike some versions where the wrists are angular and jarring and not in keeping with the  Romantic period.

Some of the corps de ballet need to support their core/centre as quite a few were dropping their backs in the fouettes saute en l'air.  Some were dropping their legs in arabesque, their back or both.

Some of the men were over-arching their feet to curl their toes under.  This distorts the continuity of their line and looks feminine.  Maybe they were having a rest?!

The sets and costumes are beautiful by Peter Farmer.  Though the tabs on the sides could be brought in to allow for a full view from the extreme side seats at that State Theatre.

Overall, I enjoyed "Giselle" and gave it a 7/10.