Review- Rambert Dance Company
14-9-12
Boy, am I glad that the other reviewer for this show was double booked for the evening! I had never heard of the Rambert Dance Company until I was on the MTR last month and saw a very intriguing poster. Little did I know how wonderful this show was going to be! The Rambert Dance Company is one of the foremost contemporary dance companies in the UK. Created in 1926 by Martha Rambert, they have become a pillar in the United Kingdom for creating innovative work and putting out some of the best choreographers over the past decades.
Technically amazing and visually stunning, tonight was a real treat for the audience. It was an assemblage of four short numbers together. All the pieces were very different. There was something for everyone. What one person hates, another will love. That's the great thing about art - everyone can see the same thing and have totally different opinions on it.
1. Hush
Choreographer: Christopher Bruce (2006)
I loved this piece from beginning to end. I thought it was very whimsical and fun. I loved all the small body isolations in the movement. A simple tilt of the head told a story. The piece implied a family unit in a field but didn't hit you over the head with it, which I appreciated. I thought the movement blended really well with the music choices. The chasing of the mosquitos with Yoyo Ma's Flight of the Bumblebee was very cute. The makeup created a clown character in the dancers that automatically made them seem cohesive as a unit. You no longer saw the race of the performers but a family playing together, watching the stars, loving one another. It was really sweet and beautiful. The lighting was especially nice in this piece. The lack of front light and strong "shin busters" made them seem like they were playing inside of moonbeams. The last picture created on stage by this piece was really heartwarming.
2.Monolith
Choreographer: Tim Rushton (2011)
This piece was very aggressive at times but very captivating to watch. The piece opened with a lone man dancing. It was so quiet in the theatre you could hear him breathing heavily, which was a bit un-nerving. The pas de deuxs were technically amazing in this piece. The boys had to do some serious lifts in this piece. There was also something interesting in this piece that everyone's faces were so blank during the performance. Their arms would also go dead on entrances and exits. I have no idea what any of this means but I found it interesting. I loved how the cyc was used during this performance. The sun set during the show and the cyc slowly turned into a night scape. The last picture was beautifully staged by Rushton.
3. L'Apres-midi d'un faune
Choreographer: Vaslav Nijinsky with Direction by: Ann Whitley (1912)
This piece is historically very important for modern dance. It is 100 years old this year and was very beyond its years when it was first created. It's also one of the very famous pieces that The Rambert Company is known for staging. I thought that the young man who played the faune was very good. He had very good height on his leaps and excellent extension. I liked the slow foot movements in this piece. And I liked that it told the story effectively in a short amount of time. I can appreciate this piece from a historical point of view but it was not my cup of tea. I liked the other ones better.
4. What Wild Ecstacy
Choreographer: Mark Baldwin (2012)
When the curtain raised on the final piece there was a gasp and applause from the audience. Why, you ask? The set is amazing for the last piece. You just have to see it. I'm not going to spoil the surprise. Costumed in absurd, acid rock style costumes the dancers are avant garde flowers dancing to tribal rock music. They are going to a rave of sorts. Everything in the choreography always seemed to involve twisting or wrapping around something, which was cool. I loved how funny the last piece was. It was completely ridiculous at times, but in good ways. You couldn't help but smile when you watched it. There's a surprise at the end that's really funny (at least, to me.) Again, I won't spoil the show. You have to see it if you want to find out what it is!
Overall
The Rambert Company describes its work in the program as "bold, risk taking, agile and beautiful." I couldn't have described this evening's performance any better myself. There are two twenty minute intermissions during this production because of the scene changes. Lucky for the audience there is a nice bar in Kwai Tsing Theatre. I recommend eating beforehand as the show is a bit long. We didn't get out of this performance until 10:30 and I was very hungry by the time it was over... Tickets are still available, don't miss this one. I highly recommend it!
Comments
Teacher_HK
I got your email and came onto your site. Well designed and good info on shows. We don't see shows out very much due to transport costs and insurance. We are more likely to bring companies into our school to perform. Great job on the site. Good luck!
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