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An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Sarah Frater's rating
Reader rating
Description: Carlos Acosta presents a revised version of his show, reprising his role in the Pas De Deux from Spartacus, with Nina Kaptsova, and a new work, Memoria, choreographed by Acosta and Miguel Altunaga.
Trains: Tube: Leicester Square/Charing Cross 
, Tube / Bus: 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 53, 77a, 88, 91, 139 
Phone: 0871911 0200
Website: www.eno.org
Email: access@eno.org
Coliseum’s gladiator: Carlos Acosta’s performance of Grigorovich’s Spartacus “was more Vegas than Vegas”
Carlos Acosta arrived on the dance scene a decade ago, and there’s been unreserved raving ever since.
The Cuban ballet star is, at 36, probably past his virtuoso peak, but he still has an almost magical combination of technical polish and theatrical restraint. When he knocks off multiple spins and airy leaps there is a double surprise — you can’t quite believe the brilliance of his dancing, nor the modesty of his manners.
One of life’s joys is to see him in the hilarious Navarraise from Massenet’s Le Cid, while the desperate sorrow he conjures in ballets like Kenneth MacMillan’s Gloria is so potent it seems to slow your breath.
Acosta’s rags-to-glory story adds to his appeal, and we flock to see him even when we know the programme will be so-so and that the man himself has to be worn out.
In the last month he has dashed from performances in London to appearances in Manchester, then Havana with The Royal Ballet (its first to Cuba), then back to London.
And so it was last night at the Coliseum where Acosta is performing a modified version of his Carlos-and-Friends-style excerpt show.
It features some interesting dancers, not just Acosta’s colleagues from the Royal, wonderful as Steven McRae and Roberta Marquez are, but also moonlighting guests from ENB, Rambert, and the Cuban National Ballet.
They danced a mixed bill chosen by Acosta, which proves that theatrical charisma is no guarantee of sound programming. Truth is, Acosta’s show is samey and sentimental.
It includes only one really good piece (a duet from Frederick Ashton’s Rhapsody), and two or three that aren’t bad, including Kim Brandstrup’ s DK60, Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes, and Grigorovich’s Spartacus although that’s more Vegas than Vegas.
The rest are by less well known choreographers, and watching them you suspect they’ll stay that way.
Michel Descombey’s Dying Swan solo for Acosta is very silly, as is Azari Plisetski’s absurdly muscular Canto Vital for four men. Ivan Tenorio’s Ritmicas is forgettable, while John Neumeier’s Othello looks dated — little wonder his work is rarely seen in the UK.
Better was Derek Deane’s Summertime, which was nicely danced by Begona Cao and Arionel Vargas despite amateurish singing from someone you won’t have heard of. Which all demonstrates what we’ve always know, which is that even stars like Acosta need good advice and a good rest.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
I thought this production was a mixed bag, and certainly plenty to criticise. But I'm surprised you think the singer of Summertime was worth singling out with such spite. Targetting a young singer who played such a small part in the whole event whilst glossing over some much more questionable contributions from the higher profile performers feels like bullying to me. I find in the programme that the singer's name is Hannah Richmond, by the way.
- Christopher Flook, London
