dance theatre
Matthew Bourne's The Car Man, Sadler's WellsMonday, 20 July 2015
The original idea for the subtitle of this show, first made in 2000 and last seen at Sadler's Wells in 2007, was apparently "An Auto-Erotic Thriller". Yes, groan. But "erotic thriller" is a much straighter description of The Car Man than its actual... Read more... |
Ahnen, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Sadler's WellsSaturday, 25 April 2015
You’re already in the land of the unpredictable with Pina Bausch. Creating unease was her métier. But when she pulls a gag intended to convince you that something has gone badly wrong on stage, and then it really does, the discombobulation is... Read more... |
Auf dem Gebirge hat man ein Geschrei gehört, Tanztheater Wuppertal, Sadler's WellsThursday, 16 April 2015
Retrospectives are difficult in dance, and for Pina Bausch's brand of Tanztheater, even more difficult. A great deal of her oeuvre's impact derives from the special atmosphere of her Wuppertal company, whose dancers were devoted to her and to each... Read more... |
Edward Scissorhands, New Adventures, Sadler's WellsThursday, 11 December 2014
For those who’ve seen one too many Nutcrackers, nothing says Christmas better than a Matthew Bourne production at Sadler’s Wells. A man whose mantelpiece is overflowing with Tony and Olivier awards is a safe bet for entertainrment – even when... Read more... |
Lord of the Flies, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, Sadler's WellsFriday, 10 October 2014
New Adventures, the name of Matthew Bourne's company, has a ruddy-cheeked, Boys’ Own ring to it that has – until now – been rather belied by his oeuvre, which includes a dance version of Edward Scissorhands, as well as dark retellings of all the... Read more... |
Sweet Mambo, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Edinburgh PlayhouseSunday, 24 August 2014
The Edinburgh Playhouse is the largest UK theatre regularly used for dance. The stalls alone seat more than the total capacity of Sadler’s Wells, and the two circles combined seat even more again, for a maximum audience of 3,059. To see it filled... Read more... |
Romeo and Juliet, Scottish BalletThursday, 15 May 2014
Watching The Royal Ballet’s The Winter’s Tale a few weeks ago, I was struck by the quasi-absurdity of adapting the Bard for dance - a thought numerous choreographers must have encountered while toying with the idea. The complexity of Shakespeare’s... Read more... |
The Tempest Replica, Kidd Pivot, Birmingham HippodromeMonday, 05 May 2014
If, standing on a station platform, your arms want to make shapes in the air; if, walking home, you are mesmerised by the curved toes of your shoes against the pavement; if, in the kitchen, a stray salad leaf on the floor transforms before your eyes... Read more... |
The Wind in the Willows, Duchess TheatreThursday, 19 December 2013
The first Royal Opera House production to transfer to the West End stage, and Tony Robinson’s first theatre role in 16 years, is a dance-drama version of a children’s book about animals and features a man in a car costume being chased by comedy... Read more... |
Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Sadler's WellsFriday, 13 December 2013
In 1995 a new avian species with unfamiliar markings, the Bourne swan, drew unexpectedly large crowds to a run-down old Islington theatre. I remember it well: seats in the gods were being worn so tight then that feet attached to long legs couldn't... Read more... |
Sadler's Wells, 2014 Highlights announcedTuesday, 05 November 2013Crystal Pite returns to Sadler's Wells as their 16th Associate Artist, with a UK premiere of her The Tempest Replica, in April.29-30 January: Borish Charmatz's enfant.7-16 February: Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch returns with 1980: A Piece by... Read more... |
Sadler’s Wells, Ambitious New PlansTuesday, 05 November 2013Alastair Spalding, Sadler’s Wells’ Chief Executive and Artistic Director, today announced that the theatre is looking for a fourth London venue, which it hopes will open in just four years’ time.Not content with two proscenium spaces (the main stage... Read more... |
