11 March 2019. Frankenstein at the ROH

The evening, for me, passed quickly with this absorbing rendition of the Frankenstein story, choreographed by Liam Scarlett. The first act felt rather like scene-setting for the action that followed in the subsequent two acts. These really brought out the pathos of The Creature (excellently played by Wei Wang) who wanted to be loved and ended killing his creator and his creator's family. The lead roles of Frankenstein and his wife Elizabeth were played by Federico Bonelli and Laura Morera while the part of Justine, the wrongly accused nanny, was taken by Romany Pajdak. all received deserved applause. 

8 March 2019. Awakening at the Linbury

This was a very contemporary evening with the National Dance Company Wales, comprising three pieces:
First comes Tundra from Spanish choreographer, Marcos Morau. Named after the frozen tree-less landscapes of northern Russian, Tundra is inspired by Russia’s history, folk tales and revolution. The piece starts with a prologue where eight dancers in Russian folk costumes with long conical skirts that cover their feet glide around the stage as if on wheels. For the majority of the piece, though, all eight are in identical multicoloured striped body suits (costume design Angharad Matthews), their faces expressionless, as they execute coordinated movements of which the most spell-binding for me were the wave effects.

Afterimage, from the Brazilian-born, Europe-based choreographer Fernando Melo. This offers a very clever play on the reality and illusion of our perceptions. Two dancers perform in front of a semi see-through mirror. Behind the mirror a further dancer interacts with their reflections.

Finally, Caroline Finn’s Revellers Mass, an exhilarating work inspired by a whole raft of religious and pagan imagery. The set (Josef Fletcher) presents a long rectangular table, which later becomes a table for a fleeting recreation of Leonard Da Vinci’s Last Supper. The piece ends with Edith Piaf’s Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. 

5 March 2019. Inside Bitch at the Royal Court

This was a rather strange event at the Jerwood Upstairs. It was acted out by four ex-prisoners with the seeming intention of disabusing us of the stereotype of a female prisoner as presented on the media. I imagine this was largely preaching to the converted. It feels mean being critical because the four players seemed very likeable and the whole endeavour is praiseworthy. However, the piece did not really hang together for me. It felt at times like impro and never really seemed to get beyond its basic message about stereotypes.

4 March 2019. The Son at the Kiln

This was an evening of great acting, although the opening scene between the parents of the main character felt a little in need of a warm-up. They were divorcees and their son, Nicholas, was the subject of their concern having been truanting from school. Things just got worse from there on with the son - excellently played by Laurie Kynaston ending up in a psychiatric hospital before his parents - who never wast to acknowledge the true extent and severity of his problems - discharge him only for this to lead to the inevitable suicide. 
A jolly evening it was not. In fact it was almost unremitting gloom and disorder with Nicholas regularly trashing the stage. It made me think I was glad not to have children but I don't suppose that was the intended takeaway by the French writer Florian Zeller. The reason behind Nicholas's depression is never resolved - was it the divorce of his parents or was his aberrant behaviour inherited? - His father in some ways mirrored his moments of passion, throwing furniture around at one point.
All the acting was good, benefiting from well-written parts - The stepmother played by Amaka Okafor came across particularly memorably, combining a certain 'not wholly my problem' attitude together with protectiveness towards her son from the new relationship with Nicholas's father.  However, I did not think the play itself matched the earlier The Father by Zeller satged when the Kiln was The Tricycle.

2 March 2019. The Monstrous Child at the Linbury.

This opera was the first to be staged in the new Linbury and did not disappoint. The tale is truly operatic of a girl named Hel who was born with a normal upper body but rotting flesh for her lower regions. She was lucky - her brother were born a wolf and a snake. All this because her giant mother shagged (as the opera put it) the Norse god Loki.
Hel is banished by Odin to be the queen of the dead but not before she has fallen for Odin's son Baldr. Eventually, he turns up in Hel's kingdom but all does not end happily.
The staging of this opera was extremely creative with Hel represented by a puppet while Marta Fontanals-Simmons sung her part, recounting the tale of her life as well as acting her role in the present. Sung in English, all was mostly clear to the ear. The music by Gavin Higgins and played by the Aurora Orchestra under Jessica Cottis worked well I thought and gave us an excellent if not jolly evening.

1 March 2019. Don Quixote at the ROH

This was a very jolly evening, featuring an episode in the life of Don Quixote when he champions the cause of two young lovers whose future seems less than assured because the girl's father prefers her to marry an upper class twit. Needless to say, it all works out in the end but the interim provides a vehicle for lots of duets and crowd scenes. The choreography is by Carlos Acosta, updating that of Marius Petipa. One hesitation I had was simply that there was too much going on at any one time to know where to focus. For example, at one point the lead couple were dancing but Don Quixote and Sancho Panza were acting to the edge of the stage. Which was to be the object of one's attention?
Another hesitation was that I found the dancing excellent but not electrifying. The production featured a number of pairings - unannounced at the time of booking - and this night featured Akane Takada and Alexander Campbell. Somehow they did not transmit the wow for me.
Anyway, overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and one to which one could easily take a guest, knowing that it would basically be a hit.

18 January 2019. Trio Concert Dance at the Linbury

This opening event at the Linbury featrued Alessandra Ferri and Herman Corneli in a series of slow and deliberate pieces. These were choreographed by Demis Volp, Wayne McGregor, Fang-Yi Sheu, Russell Maliphant and Angelin Preljocaj. However, an equal if not greater focus was on the pianist, Bruce Levingston, as he played pieces by Ligeti, Satie, Bach, Glass and Chopin. Overall, it felt a very special evening, albeit one that was somewhat earnest and perhaps of particular appeal for minimalists. The reviews I read were very positive.