Peter Farmer Archives - UPSTAGED MANCHESTER

REVIEW: Birmingham Royal Ballet: Shakespeare Dream Bill (The Lowry, Salford)

September 16, 2016kristobel

Wink Birmingham Royal Ballet © Andrew Ross — Wink
Birmingham Royal Ballet
© Andrew Ross

upstaged rating:

2016 marks four hundred years since the death of William Shakespeare and Birmingham Royal Ballet continue their celebration of the world’s most prolific dramatist with Shakespeare Dream Bill. The production presents three contrasting works, from contemporary to classical, in a Shakespeare-themed feast of balletic brilliance.

American choreographer Jessica Lang’s Wink serves an elegant entree inspired by the language of The Bard’s sonnets. Set to Jakob Ciupinski’s new score, both the music and the movement echo the structure of the sonnets. Surreal and captivating, the piece takes its title from the first line of sonnet 43, ‘When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see.’ The graceful performance is framed by Mimi Lien’s set of rotating boards which switch from black to white representing the blink of an eye. Stylish and contemporary, Peter Teigan’s lighting design and Alfie Jones’ voiceover add further clarity to this faultless display.

José Limón’s The Moor’s Pavane subtitled ‘Variations on the theme of Othello’, distils the tangled tragedy of Othello into a tightly knit and thrilling one-act piece. The four dancers: Tyrone Singleton (Othello), Iain Mackay (Iago) , Delia Mathews (Desdemona) and Samara Downs (Emilia) sweep and glide in Pauline Lawrence’s medieval inspired gowns. Moving in a circular motion about a dark stage, they are enmeshed. Othello’s white handkerchief is passed between them to Henry Purcell’s baroque score.

The Dream concludes the triple bill with a good dose of magic and wit as the company revive Sir Frederick Ashton’s 1964 interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. With Peter Farmer’s leafy woodland setting and John B Read’s dramatic lighting design, the company fill the stage with elegance and jest.

I was very surprised to see a few empty seats on the night I attended as the Birmingham Royal Ballet usually, and rightfully, attract a full house. Perhaps the idea of Shakespeare fused with ballet felt quite daunting for some, which is quite a shame as The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Shakespeare Dream Bill is pure perfection- a stunning display of agility, beauty and technical wisdom. This production is a superb evening out for all ages and whether you are a seasoned theatre-goer or on your first trip to the ballet, the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Shakespeare Dream Bill is a dazzling visual feast.

-Kristy Stott

The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Shakespeare’s Dream Bill is on at The Lowry Theatre, Salford until Saturday 17th September 2016 and you can get your tickets here.

REVIEW – Romeo and Juliet – Birmingham Royal Ballet (The Lowry)

March 4, 2016kristobel

Birmingham Royal Ballet - Romeo and Juliet © Andrew Ross — Birmingham Royal Ballet – Romeo and Juliet
© Andrew Ross

Upstaged Rating:

Birmingham Royal Ballet Company make a pleasing return to the Lowry in Salford to continue their Shakespeare Season which commemorates the 400 year anniversary since William Shakespeare’s death. There is no better adaptation to bring to the stage then Kenneth MacMillan’s much celebrated classic interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, which is still as fresh and as exhilarating as when it was first performed in 1965.

The tale of the star-crossed lovers is set to Sergei Prokofiev’s magnificent score, featuring ‘Dance of the Knights’ which many will recognise as the opening theme tune of BBC television show The Apprentice. However, there are no novices in this beautiful production, only stand-out performances from emotive storytellers loaded with technical brilliance.

Paul Andrews’ stunning and detailed design conjures up all of the hustle and bustle of Verona amidst the feud of the two rival families – The Montagues and The Capulets. Like a medieval masterpiece framed by a proscenium arch, the dancers glisten under John B Read’s lighting design.

Momoko Hirata impresses as the dainty, vulnerable but determined Juliet – a masterful storyteller and graceful dancer. From jesting with her nurse, who is brilliantly played by Ruth Brill, to the final harrowing scene when she finds Romeo lying cold next to her in the charnel house. Hirata handles the transitions between the varying emotions superbly in this beautiful but ill-fated love story. Joseph Caley is well cast as Romeo, charming and impulsive in love – Caley expresses the immaturity of young love during his brief passage from boyhood to death.

The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet is a stunningly impressive production. With Prokofiev’s epic musical score delivered powerfully by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Kenneth MacMillan’s acclaimed choreography and Paul Andrews’ picture-perfect design, the talented company deliver a beautiful performance of the most tragic love story ever told.

-Kristy Stott

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet continues at the Lowry until Saturday 5th March 2016.

With First Steps: A Child’s The Dream on Friday, March 4 at 1 pm. A delightful ballet adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream recommended for ages 3-7.

REVIEW – Coppélia – Birmingham Royal Ballet (The Lowry)

March 4, 2015kristobel

Date: 04 March 2015

Upstaged Rating:

The Birmingham Royal Ballet are back at The Lowry with an enchanting production of Coppélia. As David Bintley CBE celebrates his twentieth year as director of the company, there really is no ballet more apt for this occasion than the story of Coppélia, packed full of mischievous humour, triumph and joy.

As the Royal Ballet Sinfonia begin to play and the gauze raises to reveal Peter Farmer‘s impressive leafy set, we are transported to a village somewhere in Eastern Europe where Dr Coppélius, an eccentric toy maker wheels out his latest mechanical creation on to his workshop balcony. His only wish is to bring this wind-up doll, Coppélia, to life. Michael O’Hare tells the story of the funny doctor well and looks the part with his puzzled facial expressions and his frazzled white hair.

When Coppélia is left out on the doctors workshop balcony she arrouses attention from flirtatious Franz and the green eye of jealousy from his wife-to-be Swanilda, with neither of the pair realising that she is only a doll.

When the two lovers, separately and unknowingly decide to enter Dr Coppélius’ strange workshop comic chaos is unleashed. Swanilda and her friends pull off the dusty red drapes in the doctors spooky workshop to reveal more of his mechanical dolls. Peter Wright‘s choreography succeeds in bringing all of the humour in the story to the fore, not an opportunity is missed and the world class dancers deliver with energy and sparkle.

Elisha Willis as Swanilda is as an amazing storyteller as she is a dancer – with impeccable timing she conveys humour while delivering complex ballet sequences with ease. Chi Cao as Franz shows a lightness of movement in his solo pieces – turning effortlessly as he appears to float in mid air. Again, a good actor, performing with a good hint of arrogance as the flighty Franz. Following the two striking female soloists in Act III, Celine Gittens and Delia Mathews, the pas de deux between the two main dancers appears to lack a little confidence though.

Peter Farmer‘s intricate, striking set design frames the dancing perfectly, the leafy forrest and Dr Coppélius’ workshop through to the grand drapes and garlands during the Festival of the Bell.

This joyous and witty ballet is a light hearted and humorous celebration of love, suitable for seasoned dance lovers or those who are making their first trip to the ballet. I took Thing 1 (aged 9) and he found it easy to follow and found the story very amusing. With Delibes wonderful musical score, stunningly pretty costumes and Peter Wright’s impressive choreography, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Coppélia really is a magical feast for the senses.

-Kristy Stott

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Coppélia continues at the Lowry until Saturday March 7th.

With First Steps: A Child’s Coppélia on Friday March 6 at 1pm.